Current Trends of Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Typhoidal Salmonellae Isolated at Tertiary Care Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the current trend of antimicrobial susceptibility of typhoidal Salmonellae.

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi, from January 2014 to December 2015.

METHODOLOGY: Blood culture samples received from the wards and outpatient departments were included. Isolates of Salmonella were dealt with standard microbiological procedures. The antimicrobial sensitivity against the typhoidal Salmonellaewas determined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method as per the guidelines of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (2013).

RESULTS: Atotal of 460 typhoidal Salmonellaewere isolated; out of which 270 were Salmonella typhiand 190 were Salmonella paratyphiA. The percentage of MDR isolates of S. typhiwas 57% and that of S. paratyphiAwas 42%. None of the isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, while sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (07% and 0% for S. typhiand S. paratyphiA, respectively) was very low.

CONCLUSION: There is high percentage of MDR isolates of typhoidal Salmonellaein our region. The antimicrobial sensitivity of typhoidal Salmonellaeto conventional agent has not improved enough to recommend their empirical use. There is almost complete resistance to fluoroquinolones as well, leaving very limited available treatment options.