European Journal of Biotechnology and Bioscience

Authors
S Gajapriya, P Rajeswari, S Thenmozhi, S Janaki, BT Sureshkumar

Abstract
Concern over exposure to drinking water contaminants and the resultant adverse effect on human health has prompted several studies evaluating the quality of potable water sources. The present study is aimed at assessing thernquality of potable water sources in and around Namakkal area and identified the TSST-1 gene producing Staphylococcus aureus. A totally 33 water samples comprising of 6 River water, 7 Pond water, 10 Municipality water and 10 Well water samples were collected aseptically. The physiochemical and the microbiological studies are most important regions by which we were able to test the potability of water. The collected samples were processed for bacterial isolation using the Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA agar) (Hi-media, Mumbai).The suspected pure colonies of isolates were identified and characterized using standard biochemical tests. In AST test, totally 18 isolates were subjected in that most of the S.aureus showed sensitive to Kanamycin, Co-trimazaxole and Amphicillin. In MAR index, MSa 14,WSa15 showed 83.3% of resistance to all drugs and 66.6% to RSa1,WSa18.Based on the virulence characters 18(100%) isolates of S.aureus produced serum resistance, 8(44.44%) for coagulase positive and 6(33.33%) for haemolysis. In PCR assay, only two water sources such as River (RSa3) and Pond (PSa9) isolates of S.aureus expressed the virulence gene of TSST-1. From this study it was concluded that the water is commonly contaminated with pathogenic S.aureus and this contamination may be played a role in the transmission of potentially harmful infection to human beings.