Serotyping, PCR, phage-typing and antibiotic sensitivity testing of Salmonella serovars isolated from urban drinking water supply systems of Nepal

Aims: To study the occurrence and diversity of Salmonella serovars in urban water supply systems of Nepal. Methods and Results: Occurrence of Salmonella was detected in 42 out of 300 water samples by enrichment culture technique in selenite F broth followed by plating on Salmonella Shigella agar. A total of 54 isolates identified to genus level by standard tests were subsequently confirmed by serotyping, phage typing and PCR detection of virulence genes (inv A and spv C).

The predominant serotype was Salmonella Typhimurium, followed by Salm. Typhi, Salm. Paratyphi A and Salmonella Enteritidis. Most of the Salm. Typhi isolates were E1 phage type followed by UVS4, A and UVS1. All isolates of Salm. Paratyphi A and Salm. Enteritidis were an untypable (UT) phage type. The majority of isolates were multi-drug resistant as revealed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique.

Ceftriaxone resistant isolates of Salm. Enteritidis indicated the presence of one of the ESBL genes, blaSHV, whereas the genes blaTEM and blaCTX were absent. Conclusions: The microbiological quality of the urban water supply is poor and indicates possibility of fatal outbreaks of enteric fever and related infections in Nepal.

Significance and Impact of the Study: The present study will be useful in water borne disease control and prevention strategy formulation in Nepal and in the global context.