Presence and Virulence Potential of Aeromonas hydrophila in Selected Water Sources for Household Consumption in Makurdi, Benue State

This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of Aeromonas hydrophila in selected drinking water sources in Makurdi. A total of 100 water samples (Tap, river, stream, well, pond and borehole water) were collected from different locations in Makurdi. Isolation and identification of the organism was performed using standard microbiological techniques. Further confirmation of the isolates as Aeromonas hydrophila was carried out using the Microbact 24E detection kit and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A. hydrophila was detected in 12 (12%) out of the 100 samples; 6.67%, 8.82%, 7.14%, 25%, 30% and 20% of tap, well, borehole, river, pond and stream water samples respectively. The highest isolation rate of A. hydrophila (30%) was from pond water. All A. hydrophila isolated exhibited heamolysin, protease and lipase activity. The findings of this study revealed that treated and untreated drinking water sources in Makurdi are contaminated with potentially virulent A. hydrophila strains which may pose a health risk to consumers. Therefore, basic water treatment should be applied to drinking water to reduce public health threat posed by this finding.