Genesis of antibiotic resistance (AR) I: monitoring of microbial pathogens with AR by Texas Clean Water Program in Rio Grande Basin including Amistad Reservoir (986.1)

Abstract

Water‐related (borne) diseases are categorized into four different classes: waterborne, water‐washed, water‐based, and water‐related insect vectors. The Pacific Institute Research Report (http://www.pacinst.org/) speculates that by 2020 a global mortality rate of 34‐76 million people will be observed due to water related diseases. One of the main sources for water in Southwest Texas is the Rio Grande River which receives its water influx from Las Vacas, Rio Conchos, Rio Rodrigo, and Rio Salado tributaries from Mexico. The Rio Grande River flows through the southwest border and is stored in the Amistad Reservoir located in Del Rio, Texas. The “Texas Clean Rivers Program” a collaborative program operated by The Amistad Reservoir ‐ International Boundary and Water Commission, US section(USIBWC) ‐ The Rio Grande Basin and The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality(TCEQ) monitor the microbial and water quality issues in Texas. As per the 2012 Basin Highlights Report for the Rio Grande Basin in Texas show that there were between 14,200 colonies/100 ml and 3,800,000 colony forming units/100ml of the fecal coli form bacteria in the water samples. High levels of Biological Oxygen Demand, and Chemical Oxygen Demand were also detected in the water samples tested in the urban areas of Del Rio, Eagle Pass and Laredo. Taken together the severity of the contamination, BOD and COD increases the mutagenic potential in the microbial pathogens (bacteria) to acquire antibiotic resistance through known and unknown mechanisms.Grant Funding Source: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPEMENT FUNDS ‐