Study of Bacterial Respiratory Infections and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile among Antibiotics Naive Outpatients Visiting Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital, Meru County, Kenya in 2018
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Date
2023
Authors
Miriti, Dinah Muthoni
Muthini, John Maingi
Nyamache, Anthony Kebira
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC Microbiology
Abstract
Objective Respiratory tract infections cause significant morbidity and mortality globally and are the most common
infectious diseases in humans. This study aims at assessing the presence of bacterial respiratory infections, number
of people infected and antimicrobial susceptibility profile among antibiotic naïve outpatients presenting with
respiratory tract infections in Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Methods The study was conducted in Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital, Meru County from April 2017 to August
2018. Upper respiratory infections were characterized by acute infection of nasal cavity, pharynx and larynx while
lower respiratory infections were characterized by chest pains, prolonged cough, productive sputum, difficulty in
breathing, fever and weight loss. A total of 384 sputum and throat samples were collected aseptically from patients
who were clinically suspected to have respiratory infections and cultured in blood agar, MacConkey agar and
chocolate agar. Bacterial isolates were identified by colonial morphology, Gram stain and confirmed by biochemical
tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility profile was determined using agar disc diffusion method.
Results Respiratory bacterial pathogens were isolated in 45.6% of the samples. The prevalence of the bacteria
species isolated were as follows Pseudomonas species (36.6%), Klebsiella species (20.6%), Staphylococcus aureus
(16.6%), Streptococcus pyogenes (13.7%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (10.3%) and mixed isolates (2.3%). Amoxicillin and
ampicillin recorded the highest resistance rate. Most of the isolates displayed high level of resistance to more than
two antibiotics. Although multidrug resistance is reported in the study, gentamicin, amikacin and cefuroxime are
recommended as the antibiotics of choice against bacterial isolates obtained.
Conclusion Bacterial respiratory infections were prevalent in the study area and the isolates obtained showed
resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as amoxicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin piperacillin ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, piperacillin-tazobactam and cephalexin. Therefore need for a continuous surveillance of antimicrobial
resistance in management of respiratory infections in the study area
Description
Article
Keywords
Prevalence, Antimicrobial susceptibility, Respiratory infections, Bacteria isolates, Antibiotics
Citation
Miriti, D. M., Muthini, J. M., & Nyamache, A. K. (2023). Study of bacterial respiratory infections and antimicrobial susceptibility profile among antibiotics naive outpatients visiting Meru teaching and referral hospital, Meru County, Kenya in 2018. BMC microbiology, 23(1), 1-8.