Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns Of Salmonella Species In Contemporary Medical Practice: Challenges And Prospects In Treatment Of Enteric Fevers

Abstract

Treatment of enteric fever is increasingly becoming very challenging due to the increasing wave of antibiotic resistance. This study is a review of the contemporary antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Salmonella species. The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Salmonella species to a wide range of antimicrobial agents was compiled for a period of 10 years (1997-2006). Data was obtained from published articles on both in vitro and in vivo susceptibility patterns of the organism to various drugs during the time interval. Data obtained were analysed using simple descriptive methods. Of the 23,504 isolates of Salmonella species reviewed, they were found to be 98% susceptible to cefepime and carbapenem, 91% to azithromycin, 82.1% to cefixime and 73% to quinolones. Also susceptibility to chloramphenicol, erythromycin, streptomycin, ampicillin, gentamicin, co-trimoxazole, augmentin and amikacin was found to be 11.9%, 10.9%, 13.0%, 16.8%, 46.3%, 38.0%, 54.3%, 6.9% and 63.0% respectively. This review has demonstrated increasing resistance of Salmonella species to antibiotics. Empirical treatment for enteric fevers should, therefore, be discouraged while quinolones, cefepime, carbapenem, azithromycin and third generation cephalosporins be given preference.

KEY WORDS: Susceptibility, Antimicrobial, Salmonella species, Enteric fever