Occurrence of Escherichia coli and Fecal Coliforms in Drinking Water from Selected Localities in Khartoum State , Sudan

Abstract

Little information is available on water borne diseases in Sudan which have poor water quality that is recognized as a public health threat, this probably is due to absence of an infrastructure for detection and recording such infection and its source. This was cross sectional study aimed to determine the occurrence of E.coli and feacal coliforms bacteria in drinking water from different sources in Khartoum state , Sudan in the period from April 2019 to October 2020. A total of 103 water samples were collected from three different localities in Khartoum State (Khartoum, Khartoum North , Omdurman(karary locality) to find out pathogenic bacteria, 42%(43) of samples were collected from Omdurman , 29% (30) from Khartoum North and 29% (30)from Khartoum. Water samples were collected from different sources as follow, coolers 50 ( 48.5%) ,taps 40(38.8%) and tanks 13(12.6%). Eighty nine (85.6%) water samples was showed growth with production of gas and 14(14.4%) did not. After identification E.coli 47(52.8%) followed by coliform distributed as follow : Klebseilla pneumonaie 27(30.4%), Proteus vulgaris 9 (10.1%) and Serratia marcescens 6 (6.7%). The highest occurrence of isolates was in taps water and Omdurman city(karary locality) This study conclude that improper disinfection of water supplies in Khartoum state hence, attach to WHO quality standard , measure for better public health so as to control disease outbreak by coliforms.