Isolation and characterization of multidrug-resistance bacterial pathogens from diarrhoeagenic stool in hospitals in Lokoja, Kogi State

Background: In Nigeria, diarrhoea is a leading cause of illness and death among children under five years of age due to unsafe water supplies, poor sanitation, and hygiene practices. It also contributes to a significant number of hospital admissions in Lokoja, the Confluence city of Kogi State. Traditional antibiotics used to treat these conditions have been frequently misused and consequently, there is widespread resistance among emerging diarrhoeagenic bacteria. This highlights the urgent need for more effective, readily available, non-toxic, and affordable natural products. A total of 100 diarrhoeal stool samples were collected from children aged 0-5 years (0-60 months). These samples were examined and cultured on three different media: Eosin Methylene Blue agar, Cefixime-Tellurite Sorbitol MacConkey agar, and Salmonella-Shigella agar. Bacterial isolates were analyzed for growth, and pure cultures were subjected to Gram staining and a series of biochemical tests. Susceptibility and multidrug resistance tests were performed using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. Results: Out of the 100 analysed diarrhoeal stool samples, 65 (65%) tested positive for the following organisms: Escherichia coli 41 (30.15%), Salmonella species 25 (18.38%), Shigella species 22 (16.18%), Enterobacter aerogenes 21 (15.44%), Klebsiella pneumoniae 15 (11.03%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 12 (8.82%). These isolates exhibited a high level of multidrug resistance, with a resistance index ranging from 0.4 to 0.7, indicating that Lokoja is a high-risk area for these organisms. Conclusions: Although diarrhoeal diseases can be caused by various agents, bacteria such as E. coli remain one of the primary and most significant pathogens affecting children in selected hospitals in the Lokoja metropolis. Ensuring access to safe drinking water is crucial in preventing these diseases, along with promoting good personal hygiene practices. It is also important to raise awareness about proper sanitation through basic health education programs, in order to reduce the burden of these diseases. Implementing comprehensive surveillance and monitoring systems to track the incidence and spread of diarrhoeal diseases in all communities is essential to effectively address this issue. Furthermore, the government should discourage the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and develop policies to combat this practice.