Spatial Variation of Tetracycline-Resistant E. coli and Relationships with Water Quality Variables in Irrigation Water: A Pilot Study

Irrigation waters may facilitate the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or genes to humans and animals. Monitoring resistance in irrigated has become common; however, many studies do not incorporate a spatial component into sampling designs. The objective this work was assess spatiotemporal variations tetracycline-resistant E. coli an irrigation pond. Water samples were collected at 10 locations two different water depths, situ laboratory quality measurements performed. percentage resistant low (4 μg mL−1) high (16 tetracycline doses varied by date location but observed be as 12.7% 6.3% total population throughout study, respectively. While significant differences between levels measured on one only detected depth. Nitrate, fluorescent dissolved organic matter, oxygen concentrations found leading control variables for coli. This demonstrates that there substantial variability ponds which should accounted design monitoring programs.