Eighty‐seven different mineral waters available for purchase in the Federal Republic of Germany were tested for the presence of heterotrophic bacteria and, specifically, antibiotic‐resistant Pseudomonas species. Waters lacking carbon dioxide and Heilwasser (waters often prescribed for a variety of ailments) tended to show the highest numbers of bacteria. Eighty‐one isolates of Pseudomonas were obtained from 39 samples of mineral water. Of the 9 species found, P. cepacia and P. maltophilia, most commonly associated with nosocomial infections, made up 13. 6% of the isolates. These 2 species also showed the highest resistance to the ten antibiotics used in the study. A comparison of antibiotic resistance patterns between mineral water and clinical isolates from the Medizinische Hochschule, Hannover, shows a higher similarity than that between mineral water and Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) isolates. With the exception of P. pseudoalcaligenes, all mineral water isolates showed basically 100% resistance to cefoxitin and were highly resistant to ampicillin. Only 1 of 81 isolates (1. 2%) was resistant to tobramycin, although 2 isolates of P. cepacia showed intermediate resistance to this drug. Though no P. aeruginosa were found in any of the samples, the presence of species associated with nosocomial infections and highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics suggests that careful thought be given to the routine ingestion of mineral water by compromised individuals and those with underlying disease.
Eight different bottled drinking waters were tested weekly over an 8-month period to determine the diversity of their Pseudomonas population and their sensitivity to eight antibiotics used in treating Pseudomonas infections. Nine species of Pseudomonas were recovered, with P. stutzeri (24%) and P. diminuta (18.8%) being the most common isolates. Sensitivity patterns of environmental and clinical isolates were shown to differ to some degree. Statistical analyses indicated a significant effect of specific antibiotic on the size of the inhibition zone, a significant difference between species and size of inhibition zone, and a strong species–antibiotic interaction. Distribution of species within the brands of water was also significantly different in 68% of the paired comparisons.
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