Abstract

ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN AND PREDOMINANCE OF SALMONELLASPECIES AMONG STUDENTS OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN IMO STATE

Nwaehiri U. L.* and Ozurumba A. U.

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Abstract

Salmonellosis is a major challenge to public health due to its persistence and high rate of recurrence. The research was carried out to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern and predominance of Salmonella species in relation to knowledge, attitudes and practices among students of tertiary institutions in Imo State. Blood and stool specimens were collected from five hundred and ten (510) students schooling in the five tertiary institutions (Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Imo State University Owerri, Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo and Federal University of Technology Owerri) in Imo State. The inoculation and isolation of Salmonella species was done using various media followed by biochemical identification to obtain positive isolates before serotyping to obtain Salmonella serogroups. Afterwards, the positive isolates were utilized in testing the antibiotic susceptibility against different antibiotic drugs. Generally, the prevalence rate was in a decreasing order of S. typhi (25.3%) >S. paratyphi A (12.5%) >S. enteriditis (5.3%). FPNO (48.0%) and Imo Poly Umuagwo (45.7%) had the highest prevalence rates while AIFCE (33.8%) had the least prevalence. Ciprofloxacin, pefloxacin, ofloxacin and ceftriaxone showed 100% sensitivity to the three Salmonella isolates while sensitivity to gentamicin and chloramphenicol wereS. typhi (96.6%), S. paratyphi(66.6%) and S. enteriditis (66.6%). On the contrary, the three Salmonella isolates were highly resistant to amoxicillin, cefuroxime, nitrofurantoin and streptomycin. In conclusion, there was high carrier rate of S. typhi among students in the tertiary institutions in Imo State probably because of the abuse of antibiotics.

Keywords: Salmonella infection, antibiotic susceptibility, students, tertiary institution.