Cefotaxime versus conventional antityphoid therapy for salmonella spp. Recently isolated in basrah province, south Iraq : an in vitro study

Abstract EN

Objectives : To study the resistance patterns and in vitro activity of cefotaxime and 6 other antibiotics in 172 clinical isolates of Salmonella spp.

Methods : 172 isolates of Salmonella spp.

recovered from blood, stool, or urine specimens were submitted to sensitivity studies.

Antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

Results : Apart from gentamicin (resistance rate = 10.26%), cefotaxime was the most effective drug against Salmonella isolates with a resistance rate of 12.79%.

The highest rate of drug resistance was encountered for chloramphenicol (51.16%), followed by tetracycline (48.78%), and amoxicillin (43.02%).

The predominant sensitivity pattern was Amps Amoxs Chlor* CTXS (37.2%).

Only 6 of the 172 isolates were resistant to 4 drugs viz.

AmprAmoxrChlorrCTXr.

Solitary resistance to cefotaxime alone was observed in two cases only, 1.2%.

Conclusion : The changing pattern in the Sa/monef/a antibiogram is seen in this in vitro study-, cefotaxime might serve as a first line therapy.

The need for clinical studies is reemphasized.