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INTRODUCTION The pathogenic Escherichia coli bacterium that cause diseases within the intestine is called diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) and is responsible for E. coli gastroenteritis. The present study aimed to identify the occurrence and antibiotic resistance profile of STEC/ EHEC and EPEC from water sources in the Adamawa-north Senatorial zone, Nigeria. METHODS Water samples from hand-dug wells and rivers/ streams from the study area were screened for the presence of E. coli, and diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) by polymerase chain reactions. The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the DEC pathotypes was determined by Kirby-Bauer method. RESULTS Of the 256 water samples analyzed, 63 (24.6%) E. coli were isolated. Of these, 44 (69.8%) and 19 (30.2%) were isolated from river and well water sources, respectively. Of the 63 E. coli isolates recovered from the water sources, 27 (42.9%) were non-sorbitol fermenting E. coli. Of these, 24 (88.9%) isolates were of STEC/EHEC pathotypes, 2 (7.4%) were of EPEC pathotype, while shiga toxins and intimin genes were not amplified in 1 (3.7%) isolate. All the STEC and EPEC exhibited complete resistance (100%) to cotrimoxazole, ampicillin, nalidixic acid, augmentin, and ceftriaxone. However, while 13 (54.2%) out of the 24 STEC isolates demonstrated resistance to imipenem, all the EPEC isolates remained susceptible to imipenem. The resistant profile showed that the DEC pathotypes were resistant to 7-12 antibiotics with 8 (30.8%) of the 26 DEC resistant to 12 antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study contribute to a better knowledge of the occurrence of STEC/EHEC and EPEC in the major water sources of the study area and may serve as reference point data for future use and epidemiological surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]