Checkley, SylviaMeyer, Kelsey2017-07-202017-07-2020172017Meyer, K. (2017). Antimicrobial Resistant Escherichia coli in Alberta's Rural Well Water (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/24938http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3976The consumption of rural well water (RWW) contaminated with antimicrobial resistant (AMR) Escherichia coli has been linked to human carriage of resistance. Our objective was to determine whether AMR and extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing E.coli are present in Alberta’s RWW. Resistant isolates were detected with an agar screen on (up to) 20 isolates from each sample, and AMR was measured with NARMS Sensititre(TM) panels. Disk diffusion assays detected ESBL-producing E.coli, and spatial clusters of AMR E.coli were assessed using ArcGIS (version 10.4.1) and SaTScan(TM) (version 9.4.4). Among 1129 samples, 22% contained AMR E.coli including four ESBL-producers. Resistance to three or more classes of antimicrobials was observed in 48% of AMR E.coli isolates, and a significant cluster of AMR E.coli was detected between Calgary and Lethbridge (p<0.05). Our results suggest AMR and ESBL-producing E.coli are present in Alberta’s rural well water, posing a risk to human and animal health.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.MicrobiologyVeterinary ScienceBiophysics--MedicalEnvironmental SciencesEpidemiologyPublic HealthE.coliEscherichia coliWaterDrinking watergroundwaterWell waterAntibiotic resistanceAntimicrobial resistanceESBLExtended spectrum beta lactamaseAlbertaSTECShiga toxin producing E.colimaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/24938