This study aimed to assess the public health risk of coliforms and Escherichia coli contamination of potable water sources in Egypt. A total of 150 water samples (100 tap and 50 well) were collected from five districts in Gharbia governorate, Egypt. High rates of coliforms contamination were recorded in 52 and 76% of examined tap and well water samples, respectively. E. coli strains were detected in 16% of the water samples (15% tap water and 18% well water; 23.7% rural and 8.1% urban). Rural water sources were 3.5 times more likely to be contaminated than urban sources (P = 0.01). Eight (33.3%) E. coli isolates were Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Multiple drug resistance (MDR) was observed for 62.5% of the isolates. Seven (29.2%) E. coli isolates harboured at least one of the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) genes. The majority (87.5%) of the STEC isolates were MDRs and harboured ESBL genes. STEC isolates were significantly more likely to resist six classes of antibiotics than non-STEC isolates. This is the first report of potable water contamination with MDR-STEC in Egypt. This study highlights an alarming public health threat that necessitates preventive interventions for public and environmental safety.

这项研究旨在评估埃及大肠菌和大肠杆菌污染饮用水源的公共健康风险。从埃及加比亚省的五个地区总共收集了150个水样本（100个水龙头和50口井）。分别在52％和76％的自来水和井水样本中记录了大肠菌的高污染率。在16％的水样本中检测到了大肠杆菌（15％的自来水和18％的井水； 23.7％的农村地区和8.1％的城市地区）。农村水源被污染的可能性是城市水源的3.5倍（P = 0.01）。八株（33.3％）大肠杆菌分离株为产生志贺毒素的大肠杆菌（STEC）。观察到62.5％的分离株具有多重耐药性。七个（29.2％）大肠杆菌分离株包含至少一种广谱β-内酰胺酶（ESBL）基因。大多数STEC分离株（87.5％）是MDR，并带有ESBL基因。与非STEC菌株相比，STEC菌株对六种抗生素的抵抗力明显更高。这是埃及首次使用MDR-STEC污染饮用水的报告。这项研究强调了一个令人震惊的公共卫生威胁，需要采取预防措施来维护公共和环境安全。