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A High-throughput Platform for the Screening of Salmonella spp./Shigella spp.
06:55

A High-throughput Platform for the Screening of Salmonella spp./Shigella spp.

Published on: November 7, 2018

An outbreak of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enteritidis in Liberia, West Africa

T L Hadfield, M H Monson, I K Wachsmuth

    The Journal of Infectious Diseases
    |May 1, 1985
    PubMed

    Insights

    Multiple drug-resistant Salmonella enteritidis caused severe illness in Liberian children, with a high mortality rate. Antibiotic resistance genes were found on plasmids, highlighting a significant public health concern.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Public Health

    Background:

    • Multiple drug-resistant Salmonella enteritidis infections occurred in pediatric patients in Liberia between 1980 and 1982.
    • The infections presented with various severe conditions, including enteric fever, meningitis, and gastroenteritis.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To identify and characterize multidrug-resistant Salmonella enteritidis strains in a Liberian pediatric population.
    • To investigate predisposing factors and clinical manifestations of these infections.

    Main Methods:

    • Bacterial isolates from 100 pediatric patients were analyzed.
    • Identification involved phenotypic testing, including lysine decarboxylase reactions with extended incubation.
    • Antibiotic resistance patterns and plasmid-mediated resistance genes were investigated.

    Main Results:

    • Salmonella enteritidis was identified as the causative agent, often misidentified initially due to delayed lysine decarboxylase reactions.
    • The isolates exhibited resistance to multiple antibiotics, with resistance genes located on a 120-megadalton conjugative plasmid.
    • Predisposing factors included young age and malnutrition or measles, with a significant mortality rate of 27.8%.

    Conclusions:

    • Multidrug-resistant Salmonella enteritidis poses a serious threat to pediatric populations, particularly in resource-limited settings.
    • Understanding the genetic basis of antibiotic resistance, such as plasmid-mediated genes, is crucial for effective treatment and control strategies.
    • Prompt and accurate identification of Salmonella species is essential for appropriate patient management.

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