Antimicrobial sensitivity of Salmonella species isolated from University of Mkar Students

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance amongst pathogenic microorganisms is a worrying public health issue which needs urgent fix. Several attempts have been made to overcome this problem, most recently, the advent of broad spectrum antimicrobial agents have been one of them. In as much, antimicrobial resistance seems to persist amongst different pathogenic genera due to inappropriate use of antibiotics. Salmonella, a causative agent of typhoid and other human systemic complications have displayed multi-drug resistance to antimicrobial agents. This research work therefore aims at investigating the antimicrobial sensitivity of Salmonella species isolated from University of Mkar students. A total of 50 stool samples were collected in sterile sample containers and isolation of Salmonella was carried out using two classical selective media, Salmonella Shigella Agar and MacConkey Agar. In-vitro antimicrobial sensitivity test was carried out following the disk diffusion method using 10 antimicrobial agents. Salmonella species displayed high rate of resistance (70%) while showing a worrying low rate susceptibility (30%) to Aminoglycosides, Antifolates and even broad spectrum Fluoroquinolones. Salmonella may have adapted, or acquired resistance inherently as it was evident in very high resistance against common antimicrobial agents like Ampicillin, Co-trimoxazole, Augmentin, and Nalidixic acid. The misuse of antibiotics and therapeutics by the population is obviously the consequential factor for the acquisition of resistance among this genus. Therefore, appropriate drug administration and usage practices must be enforced by government and public health institutions to help curtail the danger of unleashing the post-antibiotic era upon us now, and in time to come.