Culture and Sensitivity Pattern of Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi in Children With Typhoid Fever

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the culture and sensitivity pattern of Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi in children with typhoid fever at the Department of Paediatrics in Balochistan Institute of Child Health Services Quetta from July 2022 to January 2023. The total blood samples of 150 patients were used of which 72 samples were positive for Salmonella typhi and 41 were positive for Salmonella paratyphi. Out of which 93 were females and 57 were males.  The samples were incubated overnight at 37°C. The blood culture bottles were processed on BD Bactec's automated blood culture system. Gram stain and subsequent subcultures were performed on MacConkey’s Agar, Sheep Blood Agar, and Chocolate Agar from the positive samples for S. typhi and S. paratyphi by Bactec. The Positive cultures were confirmed serologically with BD Difco™ Salmonella species O Antiserum Factor 9, Antiserum Vi, and Antiserum Factor 2 antisera. The results of the study show that Azithromycin and Meropenum are the least resistant and highly sensitive to both S. typhi and S. paratyphi.  Ampicillin, Cotrimoxazole and Ceftriaxone show minimum sensitivity and maximum resistance for S. typhi and S. paratyphi. Whereas, Cotrimoxazole and Ceftriaxone show zero sensitivity and a hundred percent resistance toward S. typhi and S. paratyphi. Hence, the antibiotics which show maximum resistance for Salmonella isolates should be excluded from the category of first-line drugs. However, those that showed the least resistance to Salmonella isolates should be given as first-line drugs. In contrast, more research is needed to develop new drugs.