Prevalence Of Salmonella From Outpatients At Bashy Health Center And Evaluation For Effectiveness Of Plant Extract Against The Pathogen

Abstract

Infectious microbial diseases constitute a major cause of death in many parts of the world, particularly in developing countries. Salmonella has been identified as an important food and water-borne pathogen. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Salmonella among outpatients of Bashy health center and determine associated risk factors that contributed to the observed prevalence. For this research, a community based cross-sectional study design method was used. Accordingly, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through direct observation; interview, questionnaire and practical work in the laboratory (detection of Salmonella from patients’ sample and to determine in-vitro antimicrobial activities of extracts of selected medicinal plants) were used. A total of 108 outpatients seeking medication at Bashy Health Center during the study period were recruited for the study. Status of antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella isolates were evaluated using gallery of ten antibiotics including: Ampicillin (10μg), Streptomycin (10μg), Tetracycline (30μg), Gentamycin (10μg), Erythromycin (5μg), Chlorampenicol (30μg), Ciprofloxacin (5μg), Kanmycin (30μg), Amikacin (30μg) and Nalidixic acid (30μg). Antimicrobial activity of the crude extracts of Ocimium lamiifolium leaves was evaluated by disk diffusion method where activities measured in terms of diameter of zones of inhibition (mm). The result showed different annual frequencies of typhoid fever, the highest being 29.5% and the lowest being 11.9%. The highest cases of typhoid fever (40.7%) were recorded in patients aged between 11 to 20 years old. Poor personal and environmental sanitation and low level of awareness towards typhoid fever were among the major associated risk factors for infection with Salmonella. The above associated risk factors had not significant difference between the two sexes (p>0.05). Resistance rates were 53.85 for Tetracycline and streptomycin, 38.5% for Ampicillin while all isolated strains were 100% susceptible to Erythromycin and Chlorampenicol. The maximum number of antibiotics resisted by Salmonella was six. The high percent of resistance to the 3 antibiotics studied could be attributed to their prevailing usage in the area under study. The studies revealed that antibacterial activity of the crude extracts from Ocimum lamiifolium was variable when extracted by different solvents; however, it possesses good anti-Salmonella activity.