Abstract
The incidence and the profile of resistance to antibiotics were examined for Escherichia coli isolated from different water environments. Strains of the bacterium isolated from a stream in a mountain area showed relatively simple profiles of resistance to only one antibiotic. Those isolated from treated wastewater showed a profile of simultaneous resistance to various antibiotics including cephalosporins of latter generation, new quinolones, and aminoglycosides, which are intensively used in human therapy. Strains isolated from the Tama River on clear days showed similar characteristics to those isolated from treated wastewater, while a considerable number of those isolated on rainy days were resistant to tetracycline, possibly linked to the effect of livestock farming. The incidence of resistances to cephalosporins of different generation was dependent on origin of the samples.
