Isolation and identification of potential pathogenic bacteria in Labac-Alemang river watershed in Cavite, Philippines / by Abigail J. Bathan, Camille S. Codoy, Khyeiza Noelle Marie S. Faller, Kasandra Coline M. Perez and Raymond G. Yulo., Jr.

Thesis (Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology) Cavite State University.

Includes bibliographical references.

College of Nursing (CON).

BATHAN, ABIGAIL J., CODOY, CAMILLE S., FALLER, KHYEIZA NOELLE MARIE S.,
PEREZ, KASANDRA COLINE M., YULO, RAYMOND G., JR. Isolation and Identification of
Potential Pathogenic Bacteria in Labac-Alemang River Watershed in Cavite, Philippines.
Undergraduate Thesis. Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology. Cavite State
University, Indang, Cavite. June 2021. Adviser: Annie M. Ramos, RN, RMT, MD.
The study was conducted from October 2020 to June 2021 within the vicinity of the
convergence of the Eastern and Western Rivers of the Labac-Alemang River Watershed
(LARW) in the province of Cavite, Philippines and laboratory procedures were done in Hydrolab
Company, Microbiology Laboratory in Quezon City, to isolate and identify the potential
pathogenic bacteria in LARW. Specifically, the study aimed to: (1) isolate pathogenic bacteria in
the LARW, (2) identify the potential pathogenic bacteria through standard methods of
microbiological analysis, and (3) identify the possible diseases that can be caused by the
identified pathogenic bacteria.
The descriptive research design was used in the study. Subsamples from three sampling
points within the vicinity of the convergence of the two rivers composed the 900 mL composite
sample used for analysis. Samples were stored in an ice chest to maintain a low temperature
and delivered within six hours to the partner laboratory in Quezon City.
Six principal bacterial agents that were shown to cause disease associated with water were that
the study focused on. Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes were analyzed using
multiple tube fermentation, Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were analyzed
using multiple-tube, Staphylococcus aureus were analyzed using membrane filtration and
Salmonella typhimurium was determined using presence/absence. Among the six principal
bacterial agents the study focused on, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, and
Enterococcus faecalis reached the threshold of their respective tests, making them present
based on the Standard Methods for the Examination of Drinking Water and Wastewater. E.
aerogenes is associated with diarrhea, abdominal or gastrointestinal (GI) infections,
stomachache and cramps, urinary tract infection (UTI), adult meningitis, respiratory, skin, and
soft tissue infections. E. coli is known to cause diarrhea, abdominal or gastrointestinal (GI)
infections, stomachache and cramps, urinary tract infection (UTI), hemolytic uremic syndrome,
low grade fever, and neonatal meningitis. E. faecalis is also associated with diarrhea, abdominal
or gastrointestinal (GI) infections, stomachache and cramps, urinary tract infection (UTI), central
nervous system infections, endocarditis, neonatal sepsis, and nosocomial infections.
Communities along the LARW, however, utilize it for drinking, bathing, and washing, water
services that are beyond its recommended use, even with the lack of proper sewage
management and septic tanks draining towards the watershed. The constant utilization of the
watershed for these services along with the runoff of contaminated wastewater from where it
passes through led to its degradation and introduced pathogenic bacteria to its surface waters.
Thus, the utilization of LARW's drinking, bathing, and recreation services could not be
considered safe while further study is necessary to assess if it is still for Class C usage and
cramps, urinary tract infection (UTI), adult meningitis, respiratory, skin, and soft tissue infections.
E. coli is known to cause diarrhea, abdominal or gastrointestinal (GI) infections, stomachache
and cramps, urinary tract infection (UTI), hemolytic uremic syndrome, low grade fever, and
neonatal meningitis. E. faecalis is also associated with diarrhea, abdominal or gastrointestinal
(GI) infections, stomachache and cramps, urinary tract infection (UTI), central nervous system
infections, endocarditis, neonatal sepsis, and nosocomial infections. Communities along the
LARW, however, utilize it for drinking, bathing, and washing, water services that are beyond its
recommended use, even with the lack of proper sewage management and septic tanks draining
towards the watershed. The constant utilization of the watershed for these services along with
the runoff of contaminated wastewater from where it passes through led to its degradation and
introduced pathogenic bacteria to its surface waters. Thus, the utilization of LARW's drinking,
bathing, and recreation services could not be considered safe while further study is necessary
to assess if it is still for Class C usage.

Submitted to the University Library 08/30/2022 T-8990