Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns and Sero-grouping of Salmonella Isolated from Clinical Specimens in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of Salmonella serogroups isolated from patients attending Saad Specialist Hospital in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. A total of 222 Salmonella strains were isolated from different clinical specimens (Blood, Stool, Urine and Abscess) collected from children and adults, males and females. All specimens were collected from both in-patients and out-patients hospitalized in different wards at Saad Specialist Hospital in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Microbiological analysis of all clinical specimens was carried out by using standard methods. Slide agglutination tests were performed by using Salmonella anti sera (ProLab Diagnostic, UK) to determine serogroups of all the isolated and identified colonies of Salmonella. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns of all isolated Salmonella were determined by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method against 5 antibiotics. Results revealed that 123 (55%) Salmonella species were isolated from males and 99 (45%) from female patients of different ages, with no significant differences (P-Value = 0.188) and Stool specimens were the major source of Salmonella species 214 isolates (96.4%). A high percentage of Salmonella species, 136 (61.3%) was isolated from children aged between 1 to 15 years. The number and percentages were decreased gradually according to age with significant differences for isolates between different age groups. The highest number 104 (46.9%) was isolated from children of the age group 1-3 years old. All isolated Salmonella species belong to 8 serogroups (A 1.35%, B 18.9%, C 24.35, D 43.7%, E 9.5%, F 0.45, G 1.35% and R 0.45%). Serogroups B, C and D were isolated in higher percentages. All Salmonella isolates were tested for sensitivity against 5 antibiotics. Results revealed that all Salmonella species isolates were highly sensitive (>90%) to Ceftriaxone, Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin. Sensitivity to Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole and Ampicillin was 88.3% and 81.5%, respectively.