World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

ENTERIC BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH DIARRHOEA AND THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN IN RIVERS STATE

Agi Vivian Nkemkanma*, Samuel Douglas Abbey, Confidence Kinikanwo Wachukwu, Easter Godwin Nwokah, Ollor Ollor Amba

ABSTRACT

Diarrhoea is an important cause of morbidity and mortality especially in developing countries. Of particular interest in this study are enteric bacteria associated with diarrhoea and their susceptibility pattern in Rivers State. One hundred and twenty stool samples of diarrhoeal patients from the ages of 2 to 60 attending University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital Port Harcourt were collected and inoculated using standard procedures. The result showed Escherichia coli constituting the majority of the isolated bacteria forming 50% followed by Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae with 20%, 13.33% and 10% respectively. Antibiotics sensitivity testing of the isolates showed varying degree of resistance and sensitivity. Grouping the antibiotics into those that act against gram positive and negative bacteria, reveal a significantly high level of multidrug resistance (resistance to three or more classes of antimicrobial agents) in 40 (33.33%) isolates, 52 (43.33%) isolates were found to be sensitive to all gram negative antibiotics, 20(16.67%) isolates were found to be sensitive to gram positive antibiotics while 8(6.67%) isolates were found to be sensitive to one of each antibiotics used. The result therefore, proves that Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are bacteria responsible for diarrhoea disease and there is a high level of multi drug resistance to some commonly used antibiotics for diarrhoea treatment in Rivers State. Public awareness of the dangers of poor hygienic practices, misuse of antibiotics and other causes of diarrhoea should therefore be encouraged to reduce the disease burden.

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