Multidrug resistance of Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Typhimurium isolated from clinical samples at two rural hospitals in Western Kenya

Abstract

The threat to human health posed by antibiotic resistance is of growing concern. Many commensals and pathogenic organisms have developed resistance to well established and newer antibiotics. This is a cross-sectional study within two hospital settings to determine in vitro antibiotic susceptibilities of Salmonella species isolated in blood, cerebral spinal fluid, pus and stool collected from in-and out-patients. The inclusion criteria was non restrictive to in-and out-patient but preference to severe diarrhea cases with negligible changes to previous treatment regimen was observed. The study was carried out from February 2004-June 2005. Fifty-three diarrhea patients within the hospital who were chosen by convenient sampling and consented to participate in the study were considered.