Prevalence and drug resistance of Salmonella in Out Patients Seeking medication in Ilu Aba Bor Zone, Alge Sachi District, Southwest Ethiopia.

Abstract

Food borne diseases related to unhygienic food handling practices remain a major public health problem across the globe. The problem is severe in developing countries due to limitations in securing optimal hygienic food handling practices. Data shows that an estimated 70% of cases of diarrheal diseases are associated with the consumption of foods contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Among these microorganisms Salmonella are the major ones. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the prevalence of Salmonella in Out-patientsof Alge Sach Health Center. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to November . A total of 71 stool specimens of both adult and pediatric outpatients were collected, overnight enrichment with selenite F broth, cultured in to XLD agar media. After 24hr incubation the media were examined for the presence of Salmonella colonies. Then the isolates were confirmed by biochemical test. The drug resistance patterns of the isolates were evaluated using galleries of nine commonly used antibiotics. The growth potential of Salmonella isolates in selected traditional foods was assessed following standard methods. In the current study, 13(18.3%) Salmonella. The prevalence of Salmonella are higher in children aged less than 10 years and youth aged between 20-24.In the current drug susceptibility test ,Salmonella spp showed resistance to ampicillin (100%) followed by tetracycline (47.4%) and nalidixic acid (26.3%).Multidrug resistance towards four drugs was observed in both pathogens. In the challenge study the pathogens grow to their infective dose in both gruel and firfir within 24hr (6.2 and 7.5log cfu/g). There was relatively greater fluctuation in pH of gruel within 24 hr, 6.2 at 0 time and ends below pH 5 whereas steady increment in pH of inferior was observed and reach to5.28 at the end of 24hr. In conclusion, this study showed that, these pathogens are still public health problems. Therefore, there needs to be frequent monitory and evaluation system so as to plan intervention strategies for at risk population in the area of problems regarding water sanitation and hygienic food handling practice to minimize the burden posed by the diseases associated with Salmonellosis.