Microbiological and physico-chemical assessment of the quality of domestic water sources in selected rural communities of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

The microbial quality of several, usually untreated, surface domestic water sources, used by rural communities in the Venda Region of South Africa, was assessed to gauge their fitness for human consumption and to highlight the possible impact of waterborne diseases. The water sources studied were six points on the Levubu River and the rivers Mutale, Ngwedi, Tshinane, Makonde, Mutshindudi and Mudaswali. Total and faecal coliform, heterotrophic bacteria, enterococci and coliphage counts were used as indicators/surrogates to estimate the degree of bacterial and viral contamination respectively by standard methods. The presence of potential bacterial agents of diarrhoea such as Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Plesiomonas, Aeromonas and Vibrio was also determined. Results showed that the ranges of counts with regard to all the water sources investigated were 2.9 × 102 - 6.3 × 104 CFU/100 mL for faecal coliforms, 6.0 × 102 - 3.7 × 104 CFU/100 mL for total coliforms, 1.8 × 102 - 1.3 × 106 CFU/mL for heterotrophic plate count, 1.0 × 101 - 3.7 × 104 CFU/100 mL for enterococci and 0-13 PFU/100 mL for coliphages. These values are far higher than the acceptable maximum limits prescribed for South Africa by the Dept of Water & Forestry and the Water Research Commission - 0 CFU/100 mL, 5 CFU/100 mL, 1.0 × 102 CFU/mL, 0 CFU/100 mL and 1 PFU/100 mL for faecal coliforms, total coliforms, heterotrophic bacteria, enterococci and coliphages respectively. Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, Campylobacter, Aeromonas and Plesiomonas were isolated from several of the water sources investigated. The use of these water sources for drinking and domestic purposes poses a serious threat to the health and well being of the users and calls for urgent government intervention.

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Microbiological quality of beef, mutton, and water from different abattoirs in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Veterinary World ◽

10.14202/vetworld.2020.1363-1371 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 1363-1371

Author(s):

Philisani Ncoko ◽

Ishmael Festus Jaja ◽

James Wabwire Oguttu

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Microbiological Quality ◽

Plate Count ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Salmonella Spp ◽

E Coli ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Government

Background and Aim: Abattoir processes from skinning, evisceration, to chilling usually lead to meat contamination by foodborne pathogens. Hence, continual microbial surveillance of slaughter carcasses by veterinary public health officials is key to preventing contamination and outbreak of meat-related foodborne diseases. This study was conducted to determine the Enterobacteriaceae count and aerobic plate count (APC) and to detect Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in meat and water from selected slaughter facilities. Materials and Methods: Retrospective data (n=100) collected in 2017 by the Provincial Veterinary Department of the Eastern Cape Province from abattoirs and prospective survey data of meat (n=50) collected in 2018 from abattoirs in the Eastern Cape Province were utilized in this study. APC and Enterobacteriaceae were enumerated from the samples. In addition, Salmonella and E. coli were isolated from samples using selective media. Results: The APC in both retrospective and prospective studies for all samples ranged between 2 and 4.50 log CFU/cm2; similar counts of 2-4.00 log CFU/cm2 were recorded for Enterobacteriaceae. No significant difference (p>0.05) for APC and Enterobacteriaceae count across all meat types was noted. Salmonella and E. coli were detected in 50% of beef. E. coli was not detected from mutton, but Salmonella was found in 66.7%. Moreover, 91.7% of the water samples had E. coli, but none had Salmonella. Conclusion: The levels of Enterobacteriaceae and APC observed in meat satisfy regulatory conditions outlined by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, South Africa and show that meat produced from these abattoirs is of acceptable microbial quality. However, the quality of water used in the abattoirs does not meet the requirements set by the government, and contributes to contamination of meat produced in the abattoirs under study. Therefore, we recommend that sources of water be continuously investigated to eliminate or reduce the risk of contamination of meat processed in the abattoirs.

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Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Vegetables Sold in the Amathole District, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x-71.4.816 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 71 (4) ◽

pp. 816-819 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

B. O. ABONG'O ◽

M. N. B. MOMBA ◽

J. N. MWAMBAKANA

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

South Africa ◽

Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽

Molecular Techniques ◽

Escherichia Coli O157 ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

E Coli ◽

Fresh Vegetables

Fresh vegetables have been implicated in outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in most parts of the world. Microbiological quality of vegetables used as recipes for salads is very crucial. Residents of the Amathole District in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa consume salads frequently, although the microbial quality of recipe vegetables is questionable. The present study investigated the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli O157:H7 isolated from selected vegetables sold within the Amathole District. One hundred eighty samples of the vegetables were analyzed. Strains of E. coli O157:H7 were isolated by enrichment culture and by immunomagnetic separation and identified by conventional and molecular techniques. In three settlements in this district, the mean counts of presumptive E. coli O157 for the vegetables ranged between 9 × 103 and 1.6 × 106 CFU/g for Fort Beaufort, 1.6 × 103 and 1.6 × 105 CFU/g for Mdantsane, and 1.3 × 103 and 4.1 × 104 CFU/g for Alice. Four (10.3%) of 39 vegetable samples were confirmed to carry E. coli O157:H7. Four representative E. coli O157:H7 isolates from these vegetables were susceptible to at least one of the eight antimicrobial agents tested against them. Even though the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 was low and those isolated were susceptible to most of the antimicrobials, there remains a need for E. coli O157:H7 surveillance in vegetables used in salad recipes in urban and rural areas of South Africa.

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