This study aimed to determine the prevalence of coliform bacteria and their extended spectrum β[1]lactamase (ESBL) phenotype isolated from surface waters of Hilla river. Over the period of four months from January to April 2015,a total of 101 water samples were obtained from 10 different sites of Hilla river . Seventy-eight (77.22%) isolates were detected as coilform .Species identification revealed that 23(29.5%) were Escherchia coli,35(44.9%) were Klebsiella pneumonaie, 9 (11.5%) were Klebsiella oxytoca and 11 (14.1%) were Enterobacter spp. Phenotypic detection of ESBL was carried out using disk approximation method and confirmed in 37 (47.43%) isolates . Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of both ESBL –producing and non ESBL-producing isolates were assessed using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. High levels of resistance were observed for ESBL-producing isolates when penicillin antibiotics (ampicillin and piperacillin) recorded (94.59%) and (89.18%), respectively. The lowest rates were detected for imipenem (5.4%), meropenem (8.1%) and levofloxacin (10.81%).These findings indicated the occurrence of ESBL-producing coliforms polluted Hilla river waters.
