Prevalence of Carbapenem-Resistance among Enterobacteriaceae Isolated from Patients Attending Uduth Sokoto, North West Nigeria

The major problem threatening the continued success of antimicrobial drugs is the development of resistant organisms. This study was designed to determine the occurrence and prevalence of carbapenem resistance among enterobacteriaceae isolated from in-patients attending Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto, and also to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the organisms isolated. The Methodology involves the use of trypticase soy broth containing 10 μg of carbapenem (imipenem) for primary isolation. The secondary isolation involves the use of MacConkey agar and biochemical (Simmon citrate Agar) for identification, and then antimicrobial susceptibility testing by the disk diffusion method. A total of 191 stool samples from male and female in-patients within the range of 2-60 years were screened for the gastrointestinal colonization of Carbapenem Resistance Enterobacteriacea (CRE). Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) windows version 21. The overall prevalence was 15.7% The prevalence rate was found exclusively in males. The highest prevalence was found within the age group of 30-40 years. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas species and salmonella species were the bacteria isolated. The most predominant bacteria isolated were Escherichia coli, accounting for 85 (9.4%) resistant strains, Klebsiella species accounting for 50 (8%) resistant strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 21% and Salmonella species accounting for 42 (0%) no resistant strain isolated. The misuse of antibiotics is a major factor responsible for the high rate of bacterial resistance. Improvement on the management and personal hygiene, as well as the appropriate use of antibiotics would reduce the prevalence of Nosocomial Carbapenem Resistance (NCR) especially among prolonged hospitalized patients.