Epidemiology of antibacterial drug resistance in northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Antibacterial drug resistance is a worldwide problem. The situation in developing countries like Ethiopia is particularly serious. Since the presence of drug resistant bacteria in the environment is a threat to public health, updated information on local bacterial isolates and drug sensitivity patterns is very crucial for evidence based treatment decisions. This cross-sectional retrospective survey on antibacterial drug resistance was, therefore, conducted to determine the extent of antibacterial drugs resistance in northern Ethiopia. The results of specimens collected and tested in Mekelle Regional Microbiological Laboratory from 2001 to 2005 were analyzed. The most commonly isolated Gram-negative bacteria were Escherichia coli 580 (52.7%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 139 (12.6%) and Pseudomonas mirabilis 77 (7.0%); while from Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus saprophyticus 643 (63.8%) and Staphylococcus aureus 249 (24.9%) were predominant. The resistance rate of E. coli, S. aureus and S. saprophyticus to ampicillin were 89.0%, 89.0% and 92.3%, respectively. The same group of bacterial isolates showed resistance to cotrimoxazole at the rate of 76.0%, 82.3% and 89.0%, while for tetracycline it was 87.0%, 85.9% and 92.7%, respectively. This study indicated an alarmingly high rate of resistance among bacterial isolates to commonly used antibacterial drugs in the Region. Thus rational use of drugs should be practiced and modifications of empirical therapy should be done through periodic monitoring of the resistance profiles of bacterial isolates to antibacterial drugs.

Keywords: epidemiology, antibacterial, resistance, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia