Open dumping of hospital and livestock waste pollutes soils and water with antibiotics, thus allowing open landfill sites to be lavish breeding grounds for antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). The study investigates the antibiotic sensitivity of soil bacteria isolated from a major municipal solid waste landfill site (Gohagoda) in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, which is located close to the river Mahaweli, the main water source for residents of Kandy, the main city of the Central Province, and its immediate suburbs. Dominant bacterial isolates from soils of the Gohagoda landfill site (polluted, PO) and a nearby wooded area (relatively unpolluted, UP) were tested for antibiotic sensitivity against amikacin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, imipenem, meropenem and ticarcillin-clavulanate. The results were analyzed using t-test and z-test in Minitab 18.1. Mean diameters of inhibition zones of soil bacterial isolates from UP were significantly higher than those of PO for all antibiotics except for meropenem. The percentage of isolates resistant to all antibiotics was higher in PO compared to UP, except for amikacin and cefotaxime. The findings show a higher prevalence of ARB in the Gohagoda landfill site, emphasizing the importance of identifying alternative measures to dispose municipal solid waste and to introduce proper sanitation practices among landfill workers. Testing soil leachates for ARB is imperative to confirm any threats to the nearby water source.
How to Cite:
Athukorala, P. A. T. V., Abeysundara, H. T. K., Nanayakkara, B. S., & Madawala, H. M. S. P. (2022). Solid waste landfill site: A hotbed for antibiotic-resistant bacteria?. Ceylon Journal of Science, 51(3), 325–329. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i3.8040
Athukorala, P.A.T.V., Abeysundara, H.T.K., Nanayakkara, B.S. and Madawala, H.M.S.P., 2022. Solid waste landfill site: A hotbed for antibiotic-resistant bacteria?. Ceylon Journal of Science, 51(3), pp.325–329. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i3.8040
Athukorala PATV, Abeysundara HTK, Nanayakkara BS, Madawala HMSP. Solid waste landfill site: A hotbed for antibiotic-resistant bacteria?. Ceylon Journal of Science. 2022;51(3):325–9. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i3.8040
Athukorala, P. A. T. V., Abeysundara, H. T. K., Nanayakkara, B. S., & Madawala, H. M. S. P. (2022). Solid waste landfill site: A hotbed for antibiotic-resistant bacteria?. Ceylon Journal of Science, 51(3), 325–329. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i3.8040
1. Athukorala PATV, Abeysundara HTK, Nanayakkara BS, Madawala HMSP. Solid waste landfill site: A hotbed for antibiotic-resistant bacteria?. Ceylon Journal of Science. 2022;51(3):325-329. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i3.8040
Athukorala PATV and others, ‘Solid Waste Landfill Site: A Hotbed for Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria?’ (2022) 51 Ceylon Journal of Science 325 DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i3.8040
Athukorala, P. A. T. V., H. T. K. Abeysundara, B. S. Nanayakkara, and H. M. S. P. Madawala. 2022. “Solid Waste Landfill Site: A Hotbed for Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria?”. Ceylon Journal of Science 51 (3): 325–29. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i3.8040
Athukorala, P. A. T. V., H. T. K. Abeysundara, B. S. Nanayakkara, and H. M. S. P. Madawala. “Solid Waste Landfill Site: A Hotbed for Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria?”. Ceylon Journal of Science 51, no. 3 (2022): 325–29. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i3.8040
Athukorala, P A T V, et al.. “Solid waste landfill site: A hotbed for antibiotic-resistant bacteria?”. Ceylon Journal of Science, vol. 51, no. 3, 2022, pp. 325–29. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v51i3.8040
