ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT SULFITE-REDUCING CLOSTRIDIA IN SOIL AND GROUNDWATER AS INDICATOR OF MANURING PRACTICES

The use of tetracycline- or oleandomycin-resistant sulphite-reducing c lostridia as indicators for the application of piggery manure or cow d ung was investigated. Sulphite-reducing clostridia resistant to either tetracycline or oleandomycin were detected in all the investigated ca ttle and piggery manure samples. They were present at high concentrati ons in the soil of manured fields and virtually absent in the soil of unmanured fields. Antibiotic resistant sulphite-reducing clostridia we re also detected in the soil at a depth of 100 cm and in the groundwat er of manured fields while they were present at a much lower degree in the groundwater of unmanured fields. The numbers of faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci in groundwater samples were not clearly relate d to the application of piggery manure.