eng Science and Education Publishing Journal of Environment Pollution and Human Health 2334-3494 2024-07-01 12 2 10 23 10.12691/jephh-12-2-1 JEPHH20241221 article Eheth Jean Samuel eheth.jean@gmail.com 1 Moussa Djaouda 2 Tamatcho Kweyang Blandine Pulch¨¦rie 2 Noah Ewoti Olive Vivien 3 Fotsing Kwetche Pierre R¨¦n¨¦ 4 Tamsa Arfao Antoine 4 Moungang Luciane Marlyse 4 Nola Mo?se 4 D¨¦partment of Microbiology, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon Higher Teachers¡¯ Training College, University of Maroua, Cameroon Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon Department of Microbiology, Universit¨¦ des Montagnes, Bagangte, Cameroon In Cameroon, the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in groundwater via hospital wastewater has not been sufficiently explored, despite the growing volume of lesstreated wastewater generated. This study aimed at assessing the impact of hospital wastewaters on the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant P. aeruginosa in the groundwater, in two urban areas, Douala and Yaounde (Cameroon, Central Africa). In each urban area, 12 wells water and 2 hospitals effluents were sampled for water analysis. The wells water were then divided into two groups. Those close to hospitals (WCH) and those far from hospitals (WFH). The level of resistance among P. aeruginosa strains was assessed against 16 antimicrobial agents belonging to the ¦Â-Lactam, Aminoglycosid, Quinolone, and Polymyxin groups. P. aeruginosa resistance rate was significantly higher in WCH than WFH (p<0.05). This result was observed in Douala with seven antibiotics: ticarcillin/clavulanic acid (31.3% vs 9.86%), ticarcillin (47.3% vs 4.93%), piperacillin (35.9% vs 4.32%), ceftazidime (44.3% vs 7.04%), gentamicin (37.4% vs 9.15%), ofloxacin (24.4% vs 4.22%), and ciprofloxacin (14.5% vs 0%); and in Yaounde with six drugs: ticarcillin/clavulanic acid, ticarcillin, piperacillin, cefepime, gentamicin, and ofloxacin, (30% vs 8.63%; 44.4% vs 8.63%; 21.8% vs 10.79%; 39.1% vs 7.91%; 21.1% vs 2.88%; 56.4% vs 15.11%, respectively). The WCH are vulnerable to the hospital effluents. https://pubs.sciepub.com/jephh/12/2/1/jephh-12-2-1.pdf Groundwater vulnerability hospital wastewater antimicrobial-resistance P aeruginosa