Antibiotic susceptibilities of Salmonella serogroups isolated from Turkish children

This study is performed to show the serogroup distribution and in-vitro antibiotic susceptibilities of Salmonella species that cause either gastroenteritis with/without bacteremia or enteric fever at Hacettepe University Ihsan Doğramaci Children's Hospital. Of the 309 Salmonella strains evaluated, serogroup B was the most common isolate (56%) followed by serogroup D (33%). Antibiotic susceptibility tests using the disk diffusion technique revealed resistance rates of 43 percent for ampicillin, 41 percent for chloramphenicol, 29 percent for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT) and 32 percent for ceftriaxone among Salmonella serogroup B. The same rates were 10, eight, seven and zero percent for Salmonella serogroup D, and seven, 14, and zero percent for serogroup C, respectively. S.thypi strains susceptible to all antibiotics studied except tetracycline (33% resistant). No resistance was detected against the quinolones. The antibiotic resistance of Salmonella species isolated from children seems to be important, especially in serogroup B. Susceptibility tests should be considered in the antimicrobial therapy of Salmonella infections where indicated.