Microbial composition and antibiotic resistance profiles in water sources from cholera outbreak sites in Tanzania reveals prevalence of rare zoonotic pathogens and bacteriophage-carried ESBL plasmids. RARE

Contaminated water sources remain a global health problem leading to high incidences of morbidity and mortality in the population, in particular in developing countries where sanitation and access to clean water is limited. In this study, we characterized the microbiota in both drinking water and wastewater in Tanzania. All sources of water had high levels of fecal contamination, with Vibrio metcshnikovii a likely source of a local cholera outbreak. Finally, we could demonstrate the enrichment of ESBL-plasmids within a bacteriophage population.