Thesis (BS Biology) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2002

The study aims to determine the incidence and antibiotic sensitivity of enterobacteria isolated from murid rodents in Malagos Watershed, a source of drinking water in Davao City, situated in Baguio District, Davao City. A total of eleven (11) murid rodents, representing three murid rodent species: apomys insignis, bullimus bagobus, and mus musculus, were caught, dissected and their intestines obtained. All of the isolates showed typical enterobacterial growth on two selective media used namely: MacConkey and Salmonella-Shigella Agar. Upon growth on these media, it was found that the isolates are only presumptive of Enterobacter and e. coli species. This implies that the likelihood of contaminating our water sources with infectious diseases caused by salmonella, shigella and proteus from rodents is low. Biochemical tests in Triple-sugar-Iron Agar and IMViC confirms that 5 out of 11 (45%) isolates belonged to the species Enterobacter and e. coli isolates where then subjected to antibiotic sensitivity testing with one representative per species. It was found out that the only isolate that exhibited susceptibility was e. coli isolate (ID9a) on the antibiotic chloramphenicol (30 g). Enterobachter exhibited resitance to all the antibiotics used namely: chloramphenicol (30 g), tetracycline (30 g), and sulfamethoxazole (23.75 g). implications on public health and safety were discussed in the study