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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
High rate of resistance to locally used antibiotics among enteric bacteria from children in Northern Ghana
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Volume 61, No. 6, Year 2008
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Description
Objectives: Information on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial pathogens is scarce in resource-poor settings. We determined the susceptibility of bacterial enteric pathogens and faecal Escherichia coli isolates obtained from children in urban Tamale, Northern Ghana, to antibiotics widely used in the that area [ampicillin or amoxicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT) and chloramphenicol] and to alternative drugs. Methods: Five Shigella spp., 6 Salmonella spp. and 318 E. coli were isolated from stool specimens obtained from 367 children with or without acute diarrhoea. Isolates were differentiated using standard laboratory procedures and tested using a breakpoint microbroth dilution method for their susceptibility to 18 antimicrobials and by disc diffusion for their susceptibility to chloramphenicol. Results: Although the salmonellae showed an acceptable resistance pattern, E. coli isolates and the closely related shigellae were highly resistant. About 91% and 81% of E. coli isolates from patients or controls, respectively, were resistant to ampicillin (MICs ≥ 8 mg/L), 88% and 76% to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (MICs ≥ 80/4 mg/L) and 46% and 41% to chloramphenicol (inhibition zones ≤ 12 mm). Resistance to β-lactam antibiotics or chloramphenicol was observed more frequently among isolates obtained from infants when compared with older children (1-4 years of age). Conclusions: Enteric bacteria from children in urban Northern Ghana are highly resistant to antibiotics used in that area. Therefore, new antibiotics should be introduced for the treatment of infections caused by these bacteria. Additionally, the establishment of a surveillance of the prevalence of the main bacterial infectious agents and their antimicrobial resistance is desirable. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Djie-Maletz, Andrea
Germany, Berlin
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Reither, Klaus
Germany, Berlin
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Germany, Munich
Ludwig-maximilians-universität München
Ghana
Normap
Danour, Stephen
Ghana, Accra
Ministry of Health Ghana
Anyidoho, Louis Y.
Ghana, Tamale
University for Development Studies Ghana
Saad, Eiman
Germany, Berlin
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Ghana
Normap
Danikuu, Francis
Ghana, Tamale
University for Development Studies Ghana
Ziniel, Peter
Ghana
Normap
Weitzel, Thomas
Germany, Berlin
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Wagner, Jutta
Germany, Berlin
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Bienzle, Ulrich
Germany, Berlin
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Stark, Klaus
Germany, Berlin
Robert Koch Institute
Seidu-Korkor, Andrew
Ghana, Accra
Ministry of Health Ghana
Mockenhaupt, Frank Peter
Germany, Berlin
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Ignatius, Ralf
Germany, Berlin
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Statistics
Citations: 60
Authors: 14
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1093/jac/dkn108
ISSN:
03057453
e-ISSN:
14602091
Research Areas
Cancer
Infectious Diseases
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Locations
Ghana