Research

As the national university, we champion and support innovative research that addresses the country’s most pressing challenges.

29 Aug 2025

Smoking is a core part of the identity and community life of agricultural workers

Smoking is considered a serious health threat, particularly in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Several studies...

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28 Aug 2025

PH reproductive health law needs to better address contraceptive access for lower-income women

The implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law represents a major policy shift aimed at increasing access to...

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27 Aug 2025

Despite centuries of stigma, babywearing survives as a marginalized practice turned into a trend

For centuries, Indigenous communities in the Philippines and around the world have used baby carriers and slings to help them...

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13 Aug 2025

Food safety risk assessment will help the Philippines manage shellfish-related hepatitis A virus health risks

This study gathered information to establish baseline data on the potential risks of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) in the...

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08 Jul 2025

UP Manila

Deep learning with convolutional neural networks to assess rice plant diseases performs very well

As with many Asian countries, rice is a principal food in the Philippines providing nearly half of the daily caloric...

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07 Jul 2025

Nurse-led eHealth cardiac rehabilitation helps patients transition to home life

This research looks at how people with coronary heart disease (CHD) view a nurse-led eHealth cardiac rehabilitation (NeCR) program. The...

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04 Jul 2025

Food safety risk assessment is a practical and effective way to evaluate the safety of locally consumed shellfish

This study gathered information to establish baseline information on the potential risks of the Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) in the...

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01 Jul 2025

Regional unity in ASEAN can grow through shared values like religiosity, humanitarianism and cultural expression

This paper explores how ASEAN identity among Southeast Asia countries can be realized by applying the concepts of “shared cultural...

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13 Jun 2025

UP Los Baños

Large language models offer many opportunities but also pose considerable challenges

With the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, the availability of data, and the advancement of hardware technologies, applications such...

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10 Jun 2025

UP

A virtual health and physical education program during COVID-19 struggled with low student engagement and ineffective online assessment

The study explored a virtual health and physical education program implemented during COVID-19 school closures. It centered on practices, teacher...

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09 Jun 2025

UP Diliman

There is a weak relationship between 3D mandibular shape and diet in extant primates

This is a study that uses 3D shape analyses to investigate if there is a relationship between mandible shape in...

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09 Jun 2025

UP Diliman

The presumed invisibility and “mute” voices of Pinay lesbian writers parallel the similar invisibility of nature in Philippine anthologies

In the introduction to Tingle: Anthology of Pinay Lesbian Writing (2021), the anthology’s editor, Jhoanna Lynn B. Cruz, points to...

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Research

Due to rising costs or the inaccessibility of commercial water, many rural communities rely on artesian well (“poso”) water as their primary water source. But because artesian well waters are not treated and are often not tested regularly, they may be contaminated with microorganisms that could cause diseases, including those resistant to antibiotics.

This study looked at artesian well water samples from selected barangays in Los Baños, Laguna to check for Escherichia coli, a bacterium often linked to fecal contamination. Of the 30 water samples, eight have exhibited fecal contamination, three of which were identified as contaminated by E. coli. When the E. coli isolates were tested for antibiotic resistance, it was found that they were resistant to antibiotics, with one isolate resistant to four antibiotics used in this study. This resistance is linked to a specific gene called TEM gene, which gives resistance to a group of antibiotics known as beta-lactams. The study also revealed that 10 households used the water sample from which an antibiotic-resistant E. coli was detected as drinking water.

With this, it is imperative to educate the community about the risks associated with consuming contaminated water. More importantly, regular monitoring of artesian well waters and providing access to safe drinking water by local government units are recommended.

This study aims to raise awareness of the presence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria in water sources such as artesian well waters, specifically E. coli, which is an indicator of fecal contamination. MDR bacteria increase the risk of contracting diseases that are harder to treat, thus posing a significant public health concern. Moreover, MDR bacteria present in water sources may further spread resistance to other bacteria, making it more challenging to control their spread. Thus, this study sheds light on the importance of water sources that are safe for daily consumption and the role of local government units and organizations in monitoring the quality of water in communities.

Authors: Marian Jean T. Panganiban (Microbiology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños), Ivan Raden A. Rosario (St. Luke’s College of Medicine, Sta. Ignaciana St., Cathedral Heights, Quezon City) and Noel G. Sabino (Microbiology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Read the full paper: https://philjournalsci.dost.gov.ph/multidrug-resistant-escherichia-coli-from-artesian-well-waters-in-los-banos-laguna-the-philippines/