Abstract:

Background: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as MRSA, can persist and spread through water sources, harming aquatic life as well as people who come into contact with polluted water. The Mirongo River, located in Mwanza, Tanzania, is an essential water body in the region. Different studies have investigated MRSA contamination in healthcare settings and communities and limited attention has been given to assessing its presence in environmental reservoirs such as polluted rivers in Tanzania. Therefore, this study aims to assess the prevalence and distribution of MRSA in the polluted Mirongo River ecosystem in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted between June and August 2024 at Mirongo river ecosystem in Mwanza, Tanzania. A syringe was used to draw water sample from the river and put in a universal sterile container, tightly closed and labelled. Samples was transported to CUHAS B1 microbiology laboratory in sealable, leak-proof cold box immediately after collection and inoculated onto MRSA chrome agar (CHROMAGAR™; Paris-France) and 5% sheep blood sheep agar (BA; HiMedia, India). Identification was done using Gram stain, catalase and coagulase test. Phenotypic confirmation of MRSA done using cefoxitin (FOX 30µg; HiMedia, India) followed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing of non-beta lactam antibiotics for MRSA, results was interpreted using CLSI guideline 2020. Data was then entered in Microsoft excel and analyzed by using STATA version 15.0.

Results: A total of 240 river water samples were collected and analyzed from Mirongo river from June to August, 2024. The prevalence of MRSA contamination was measured to be 8.33% whereby 20 samples out of 240 were positive for MRSA contamination.

Conclusion: This study observed that the prevalence of 8.33% MRSA contaminating river Mirongo ecosystem. Sampling sites with activities such as hospital, agriculture, livestock and domestic waste dumping had positive growth for MRSA. Regular cleaning protocols, adequate community education, proper waste disposal from institute such as hospitals, enhance surveillance, and hygiene should be emphasized in the community to reduce antimicrobial resistance which may be a cause of untreatable diseases.