Antibiotic sensitivity profile of bacterial isolates from stool samples among children below five years in Murang'a County, Kenya

INTRODUCTION: the discovery of antibiotics led to the optimistic belief of completely eradicating infectious diseases during the golden era following their discovery. Countries are grappling with the burden of microbial resistance bringing a near paralysis of all facets of mankind. Enterobacteriaceae and other hard-to-treat Gram-negative bacteria have become resistant to nearly all antibiotic options available, and this is a bad taste in the fight against microbial resistance. METHODS: during the months of April-October 2017, 163 children below five years presenting with diarrhea were randomly selected in Murang´a and Muriranja´s Hospitals. Bacterial agents were identified and antibiotic susceptibility profile was determined. Design: a cross-sectional study approach was used. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA v. 13. RESULTS: a total of 188 bacteria belonging to 11 genera were isolated, and identified and their antibiotic susceptibility profiles were determined. Susceptibility testing showed that almost all the Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC), Salmonella, Klebsiella, Shigella, Vibrio, Enterobacter, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Citrobacter and Yersinia species were resistant to the following antibiotics: ampicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone and kanamycin. Other than ETEC (90.9%), all the rest of the isolates were resistant to nalidixic acid. Other than ETEC (9.1%), EAEC (33.3%) and Salmonella species (95.2%), all the rest of the isolates were resistant to gentamicin. Other than V. cholerae, all the other isolates were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Isolates were sporadically resistant to erythromycin, streptomycin, doxycycline, and ofloxacin. CONCLUSION: the high resistance rate of enteric Gram-negative bacterial pathogens in Murang´a County is alarming. The need for urgent, efficient, and sustainable actions and interventions, such as culture and susceptibility testing, is needed and must be taken into account to minimize and prevent the establishment and spread of enteric pathogenic bacteria.