Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Shigella among acute diarrheal outpatients in Mekelle hospital, Northern Ethiopia.
BACKGROUND
Emergence of increased antimicrobial resistance of Shigella species is a global challenge, particularly in developing countries where increased misuse of antimicrobial agents occurs. There is no published data in the study area on the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Shigella among acute diarrheal patients. This study was therefore, under taken to fill this gap.


METHODS
Using cross sectional study method, stool specimens were collected from 216 patients with acute diarrhea at Mekelle Hospital from August to November 2014. Standard bacteriological methods were used to isolate and determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the isolates, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.


RESULTS
Out of the total 216 participants, Shigella was isolated from 15 (6.9 %) of the participants. Ten (66.7 %) of the positive isolates were from children <15 years (p = 0.005). Latrine availability, source of drinking water and hand washing habits before meal were statistically significant with shigellosis (p < 0.05). Isolates of Shigella showed 100, 86.7 and 66.7 % resistance to amoxicillin, amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole respectively. Low levels of resistance were observed for norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin (6.7 % each). Overall, 80 % of the isolates showed multidrug resistance.


CONCLUSIONS
Shigella isolates were highly resistant to amoxicillin, amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole. However, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were effective. Antibiotic surveillance is needed to prevent further emergence of drug resistant Shigella strains. More has to be done in the availability of latrine, supply of safe drinking water to the community to reduce the disease burden.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box: 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. atseba_mu@yahoo.com.
Atsebaha
A
Gebrekidan
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box: 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. tsehaye93@gmail.com.
Tsehaye Asmelash
TA
Dejene
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box: 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. getahunkahsay@gamil.com.
Getahun
G
Kahsay
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box: 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. araya13e25@gmail.com.
Araya Gebreysus
AG
Wasihun
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012760:Shigella / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult