Characterization of multi-drug resistant Salmonella typhi from clinical specimens

Characterization of multidrug resistant Salmonella typhi from clinical specimens was investigated. Three hundred and sixty-four (364) clinical specimens of both stool and blood were collected from patients attending selected health facilities in Bauchi metropolis. The specimens were cultured using standard media, biochemical as well as serological tests for somatic H and O antigens were used to identify isolates. Antibiotics susceptibility test was performed using standard disk diffusion method, the isolates were screened for Multidrug resistance. The total of 9(2.4%) of the 364 specimens collected yielded positive for Salmonella typhi. of the Nine (9) positive Salmonella typhi 5(55.5%) were from females and 4(44.4%) from males. Typhoid fever was most frequent in children 5(55.5%) than in adults. There was no significant difference in isolates from the different health facilities with their p values >0.05. All isolates screened were resistant to more than three (3) antibiotics, of the total isolates, 88.8% were found to be resistant to ampicillin, 77.7% resistant to cotrimoxazole, and 88.8% resistant to chloramphenicol. However, resistance to ciprofloxacin by the isolates were not found. Therefore, ciprofloxacin remains the drug of choice for severe cases of typhoid fever, although caution should be exercised by clinicians in their prescription such that fluoroquinolones antibiotics therapy is used only in laboratory-proven cases of the disease and Salmonella-associated bacteremia to preserve its efficacy. To prevent occurrence of typhoid fever, good personal hygiene, provision of portable drinking water and environmental sanitation should be employed.