Abstract:
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health tfueat that occurs when
pathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites develop the ability to resist the
drugs designed to kill them. This resistance makes infections harder to treat and
increases the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death. Actinomycetes are a
diverse group of gram-positive bacteria that are known to produce a wide range of
bioactive compounds and offer a promising altemative in the fight against resistant
microbes. The study aim is to isolate and morphology identify actinomycetes from
different soil surroundings in the Eastern University premises, demonstrating strong
antibacterial effects against prevalent human pathogens. Nine different actinomycete
strains were obtained and identified morphologically and with the help of biochemical
tests such as gram staining. The results of Gram staining also indicated that all the
isolates were Gram-positive due to their thick cell walls and their high capacity to
produce antibiotics. In antibacterial activity screening, several strains showed
significant efficacy against common human pathogens, Escherichia coli and
Staphylococcus aureus (P<0.05). Notably, strains labelled A 1 , F 1 , and S 1 demonstrated
broad-spectrum antibacterial properties, suggesting their potential as sources of new
antibiotics. The improved antibacterial efficiency and the greater colony-forming
ability of the strains obtained from the swanip area prove the impact of the environment
on actinomycetes' growth and activity (P<0.05). Physio-chemical analysis of the soil
samples found that the swamp area's neutral pH, high moisture, and rich organic content
provided a conducive environment for actinomycetes proliferation (P<0.05). These
findings highlight the critical role of environmental factors in shaping actinomycetes'
diversity and antibacterial potential. This study helps to better comprehend the factors
of actinomycetes distribution in various types of soils and indicates the directions for
searching new antibiotics.
