ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PROFILE OF BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM VARIOUS SOIL SAMPLES

Soil represents a major reservoir of diverse microorganisms, including bacteria capable of developing resistance to antibiotics. The present study aimed to isolate and characterize bacteria from soil samples collected from different locations in Durgapur, West Bengal, India, and to evaluate their antibiotic resistance patterns. Ten soil samples were collected and bacterial isolates were obtained using standard microbiological techniques. The isolates were characterized by colony morphology, Gram staining and biochemical tests, and their antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method following CLSI guidelines. The results revealed the presence of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Bacillus, Proteus, Pseudomonas and Alcaligenes species. Several isolates showed resistance to one or more antibiotics, and multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indices ranged from 0.4 to 1.0. The findings suggest that soil environments may act as reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, species identification in the present study was based on phenotypic characteristics and should be considered presumptive. Further molecular characterization is required to confirm the identity of the isolates.