ISSN: 0973-7510

E-ISSN: 2581-690X

Research Article | Open Access
Johanna Naimpungu Endjala1, Graça Kamba Kandanda1, Loide Nangulohi Nangolo1, Festus Shafodino Shafodino1, Omoruyi Etinosa Beauty2 and Lamech Malagho Mwapagha1
1Department of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, Faculty of Health, Natural Resources and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia.
2Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology Institute, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa.
Article Number: 10511 | © The Author(s). 2026
J Pure Appl Microbiol. 2026;20(1):247-259. https://doi.org/10.22207/JPAM.20.1.10
Received: 24 April 2025 | Accepted: 21 November 2025 | Published online: 30 January 2026
Issue online: March 2026
Abstract

The persistence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria poses a major global health challenge, with wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) increasingly recognized as hotspots for both antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes (ARGs). This study investigated genetic mutations and phenotypic resistance profiles of bacterial isolates from three WWTPs in Windhoek, Namibia. Bacterial isolates were obtained through culture-based methods, identified using Gram staining and the Vitek system, and tested for antibiotic susceptibility via the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method in accordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. ARGs were detected using direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Key isolates included Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Citrobacter freundii, with PCR confirming the presence of the gyrA gene linked to fluoroquinolone resistance. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed resistance to ampicillin and tetracycline, and one isolate resistant to ciprofloxacin. Despite the detection of gyrA, most isolates remained susceptible to ciprofloxacin, suggesting these mutations may influence susceptibility to other fluoroquinolones rather than confer direct resistance. No amplification was observed for tetA and blaTEM genes. These findings reveal that WWTPs act as critical reservoirs and dissemination hubs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and ARGs, emphasizing the urgent need for sustained genomic surveillance to curb their environmental and public health impact.

Keywords

Antibiotic Resistance, Antibiotic Resistance Genes, Signature Mutations, Wastewater, Wastewater Treatment Plants

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© The Author(s) 2026. Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License which permits unrestricted use, sharing, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.