A five-year antimicrobial resistance pattern observed in Shigella species isolated from stool samples in Gondar University Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Shigellosis is a global human health problem and an important public health problem, especially in developing countries, where substandard hygiene and unsafe water supplies abound. Besides, an increase in resistance against many different drugs among Shigella isolates has been observed in the last two decades. Objective: To determine the pattern of antimicrobial sensitivity of shigella species to commonly used antibiotics. Methods: The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Shigella species isolated from stool specimens processed over five years at the bacteriology laboratory of the University of Gondar teaching hospital in northwest Ethiopia was investigated. Stool specimens were processed in accordance with the standard bacteriological methods and data were collected in the laboratory log book for bacterial culture, isolation and antimicrobial sensitivity. Results: From the total of 2,891 stool specimens that were cultured, 214 yielded Shigella species. The overall sensitivity of Shigella species to the commonly used antibiotics in the area was 92.1% to gentamicin, 91.1% to ciprofloxacin, 47.2% to chloramphenicol, 26.6% to cotrimoxazole, 20.1% to ampicillin and 14% to tetracycline. About 46% of the isolates were found to be resistant to at least three commonly used drugs, while 1.4% were found to be resistant to all the commonly used drugs. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the continued sensitivity of Shigella species to gentamicin and ciprofloxacin and their widespread resistance against tetracycline, ampicillin and cotrimoxazole. Based on our results, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin may be used rationally under strict regulation for the treatment of severe cases of shigellosis in case where other safer and better drugs are unavailable. [Ethiop.