Bacterial gastroenteritis in children below five years of age: a cross-sectional study focused on etiology and drug resistance of Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp.

Abstract

Background Gastroenteritis is a common infectious disease in children, which results in high mortality and morbidity, especially in resource-poor countries. This study presents the selected main gastroenteritis causing bacteria, including Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella and Shigella species delineating their prevalence and resistance pattern to the clinically used antibiotics. Results A total of 346 stool specimens from children of clinically suspected gastroenteritis below five years have been obtained, and bacterial pathogens were recovered using selective media, biochemical and serologic tests. We found that 35 (10%) of them were confirmed bacterial gastroenteritis (BGE) with either Escherichia coli O157 (14%), Salmonella spp. (43%), and Shigella spp. (43%). Nevertheless, the prevalence of E. coli O157, Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp. in this study were documented as 1.45%, 4.34%, and 4.34%, respectively. Moreover, 2 (40%) of E. coli O157, 4 (26.67%) of Salmonella spp., and 14 (93%) of the Shigella spp. were found as multidrug-resistant. Nonetheless, Shigella spp. isolates showed 100%, 87%, and 73% resistance to cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and azithromycin respectively, while E. coli O157 showed 80% resistance to cotrimoxazole and 60% to ciprofloxacin and azithromycin. On the contrary, cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, and tetracycline were resistant in 40%, 47%, 27%, and 53% of Salmonella spp. isolates respectively. Conclusion These findings generate significant insights on the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of the three major gastroenteritis causing bacteria in the study area. Therefore, it will help physicians and policymakers selecting the right antibiotics in essential cases, particularly, reevaluation of recommending cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and azithromycin in the management of bacterial gastroenteritis.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 among diarrheic patients and their cattle in Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia

“…However, our result was lower than those reported from Eastern Ethiopia (15.3%) [ 16 ], Eastern Cape Town, South Africa (17%) [ 36 ], and Maasai land Kenya (24.1%) [ 37 ]. On the contrary, this finding is higher than the studies reported from Gondar (1.9%) [ 38 ], Sebeta town, Ethiopia (3.2%) [ 13 ], Bishoftu town, Ethiopia (2.9%) [ 39 ], Debre Berhan cities, Ethiopia (0%) [ 19 ], Nairobi Kenya (0.2%) [ 40 ], Southern Mozambique (1.9%) [ 41 ], Morogoro Tanzania (3.6%) [ 42 ], Burkina Faso (9.67%) [ 43 ], Chattogram, Bangladesh (1.45%) [ 44 ], Sudan (5%) [ 45 ], plateau state, Nigeria (5%) [ 46 ], and France (3%) [ 47 ]. The relatively a higher prevalence of the organism found in the current finding might be because of a higher level of traditional breeding practice of animals and animal -to- human interaction in the study subjects.…”

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile of Salmonella and Shigella among Diarrheic Patients Attending Selected Health Facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…Diarrheal disease is caused by a wide variety of bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens. Non-typhoidal Salmonella , Shigella , enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Campylobacter jejuni , and Vibrio cholerae are the major bacterial etiologies of diarrhea in developing countries [ 6 ]. A single or multiple microbial agents could cause diarrheal diseases [ 7 ].…”