Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp Isolated from Diarrhoeic Children in Selected Health Centres in Sokoto, Nigeria

Aim: To determine the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of E. coli and Salmonella spp. associated with childhood diarrhoea in our locality.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: School of Medical Laboratory Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto between May and October 2017.

Methodology: A total of 236 faecal samples were collected from children less than or equal to five years and were processed, isolates were identified following standard bacteriological procedures. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using disc diffusion method.

Results: About 96/236 (40.7%) of the sample yielded growth of E. coli, and 14/236 (5.9%) yielded growth of Salmonella species. Salmonella spp were 100% sensitive to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and ceftriaxone whereas they demonstrated low sensitivity of 35.7%, 14.3% and 7.1% to cefuroxime, ceftazidime and cotrimoxazole respectively and none of the isolates was sensitive to ampicillin and augumentin. E. coli on the other hand were 73.9% sensitive to ceftriaxone, 69.8% to ciprofloxacin, 62.5% to gentamycin and 61.5% sensitive to ofloxacin. Sensitivity of E. coli to cefuroxime and cotrimoxazole was very low and none of the isolates was sensitive to ampicillin and augumentin. Conclusion: The prevalence of E. coli causing infectious diarrhoea among children in Sokoto is significantly high. Both bacterial agents presented with marked resistance to most antibiotics. Ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin were found to be drugs of choice in the treatment of bacterial diarrhoea caused by both E. coli and Salmonella.