%0 Journal Article
%T The Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Salmonella typhi among Patients Attending a Military Hospital in Minna, Nigeria
%A N. U. Adabara
%A B. U. Ezugwu
%A A. Momojimoh
%A A. Madzu
%A Z. Hashiimu
%A D. Damisa
%J Advances in Preventive Medicine
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/875419
%X The threat to human health posed by antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens is of growing concern to medical practice. This study investigated the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of Salmonella typhi isolated from blood specimen. One hundred blood samples were collected from suspected typhoid fever patients in 31 Artillery Brigade Medical Centre, Minna, and were analyzed for S. typhi while antibiotic sensitivity testing was done Kirby-Bauer method. Sixty (60.0%) samples out of the total 100 were positive for bacterial growth. The organisms isolated 2 include Salmonella typhi; 45 (75.0%), Shigella; 6 (10.0%), E. coli; 3 (5.0%), Klebsiella; 3 (5.0%), Enterobacter; 2 (3.3%), and Citrobacter; 1 (1.7%). Result of the sensitivity test showed that the isolates were resistant to all the antibiotics; ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, amoxicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and augmentin, which are the drug of choice routinely used in the study area for the treatment of typhoid fever. They were however sensitive to chloramphenicol and ofloxacin, which, unfortunately, are not used in this study area for the treatment of typhoid fever. There appear to be multiple drug resistant (MDR) strain of S. typhi in the study area. These may be as a result of overdependence or uncontrolled use of the few available antibiotics and/or inaccurate or inconclusive diagnosis resulting in the development and spread of resistant strains of S. typhi. The study, therefore, highlights the need for a strong collaboration between the physicians and the laboratory in the choice of antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial diseases in order to discourage the development of resistant strain of bacterial pathogen. 1. Introduction Typhoid fever (enteric fever) caused by the bacterium Salmonella enteric serovar typhi is an endemic disease in the tropic and subtropic. The disease is systemic and is often contracted by ingestion of food or water that is contaminated with the pathogen usually from a feco-oral source. It may, therefore, be reasonable to conclude that the occurrence of typhoid fever is an indicator of poor personal and environmental hygiene. The illness may be mild or severe but sometimes fatal. It is encountered worldwide but is primarily found in developing countries where sanitary conditions are poor [1]. Typhoid fever is now uncommon in developed countries where most occurrences are either acquired abroad or imported by emigrants [2]. With an estimatedannual incidence of 540 per 100,000 or about 17 million cases worldwide [3], the disease is considered a major public health problem. In
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/apm/2012/875419/