Less effect of wells physicochemical properties on the antimicrobial susceptibility Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in equatorial region of Central Africa

Abstract This study aimed at assessing the impact of some wells abiotic factors on the antimicrobial susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated. A total of 14 well waters of Douala and Yaoundé towns (Cameroon, Central Africa) were chosen. Fifteen antibiotics were used to test antimicrobial susceptibility with the majority belonging to β-lactam, aminoglycoside and quinolone groups. Result showed that in Douala, electrical conductivity of water ranged from 145.38 to 559.69 μS/cm in well, while in Yaoundé, it ranged from 172.5 to 710.2 μS/cm. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 2.5 to 5.5 mg/l and from 3.9 to 5.1 mg/l, respectively, in Douala and Yaoundé. Organic matter varied from 2.3 to 7.2 mg/l and 1.4 to 5.2 mg/l in Douala and Yaoundé, respectively. As for pH, it fluctuated between 5.56 and 6.66 CU and between 5.1 and 7.0, respectively, in Douala and Yaoundé. The sampled waters harbour multi-drug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains. About 20.40% of strains from wells in Yaoundé metropolis expressed resistance to at least 5 antibiotics, whereas from wells in Douala town, up to 33.33% of strains were resistant to at least 8 antibiotics including ticarcillin, ceftazidime and gentamicin. The effect of abiotic factors on the sensitivity to antibiotics was assessed using the multiple regression tests. In both towns, less than 5% in the changes of physicochemical parameters of well waters explained the variance in inhibition diameter values of antibiotics (p ≤ 0.05). The pH significantly impacts on antimicrobial susceptibility. Environmental conditions are less stressful for P. aeruginosa and fairly affect its antimicrobial susceptibility.