Vibrio cholerae O1 and Escherichia coli O157:H7 from drinking water and wastewater in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, open ditches along innner roads in residential areas serve to convey domestic wastewater and rainwater away from residences. Contamination of drinking water by wastewater through faulty distribution lines could expose households to waterborne illnesses. This prompted the study to assess the microbiological safety of wastewater and drinking water in Addis Ababa, identify the pathogens therein, and determine their antibiotic resistance patterns. RESULTS VIBRIO CHOLERAE: O1, mainly Hikojima serotype, was isolated from 23 wastewater and 16 drinking water samples. Similarly, 19 wastewater and 10 drinking water samples yielded Escherichia coli O157:H7. V. cholerae O1 were 100% resistant to the penicillins (Amoxacillin and Ampicillin), and 51-82% were resistant to the cephalosporins. About 44% of the V. cholerae O1 isolates in this study were Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producers. Moreover, 26% were resistant to Meropenem. Peperacillin/Tazobactam was the only effective ß-lactam antibiotic against V. cholerae O1. V. cholerae O1 isolates showed 37 different patterns of multiple resistance ranging from a minimum of three to a maximum of ten antimicrobials. Of the E. coli O157:H7 isolates, 71% were ESBL producers. About 96% were resistant to Ampicillin. Amikacin and Gentamicin were very effective against E. coli O157:H7 isolates. The isolates from wastewater and drinking water showed multiple antibiotic resistance against three to eight antibiotic drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Open ditches for wastewater conveyance along innner roads in residence areas and underground faulty municipal water distribution lines could be possible sources for V. cholerae O1 and E. coli O157:H7 infections to surrounding households and for dissemination of multiple drug resistance in humans and, potentially, the environment.

Standardizing clinical culture specimen collection in Ethiopia: a training-of-trainers.

BACKGROUND: Proper specimen collection is central to improving patient care by ensuring optimal yield of diagnostic tests, guiding appropriate management, and targeting treatment. The purpose of this article is to describe the development and implementation of a training-of-trainers educational program designed to improve clinical culture specimen collection among healthcare personnel (HCP) in Ethiopia. METHODS: A Clinical Specimen Collection training package was created consisting of a Trainer's Manual, Reference Manual, Assessment Tools, Step-by-Step Instruction Guides (i.e., job aides), and Core Module PowerPoint Slides. RESULTS: A two-day course was used in training 16 master trainers and 47 facility-based trainers responsible for cascading trainings on clinical specimen collection to HCP at the pre-service, in-service, or national-levels. The Clinical Specimen Collection Package is offered online via The Ohio State University's CANVAS online platform. CONCLUSIONS: The training-of-trainers approach may be an effective model for development of enhanced specimen collection practices in low-resource countries.

Isolation and Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns of Bacterial Pathogens from Community-Acquired Pneumonia at Adama Hospital Medical College, Adama, Ethiopia.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It also contributes significantly to hospital admissions, particularly in low-income countries such as Ethiopia, where it accounts for major public health problems. This could be attributed to the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens in CAP patients. This study aimed to identify and assess the antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial isolates from CAP patients at the Adama Hospital Medical College in Adama City, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 10, 2022, to November 30, 2023. Demographic, clinical data, and sputum samples were collected from patients with CAP (n = 369). Sputum samples were subjected to standard microbiological procedures, including culture, Gram staining, and a panel of different biochemical tests for the identification of pathogenic bacterial isolates. The Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was used for drug susceptibility testing. Descriptive statistics were computed by using SPSS (version 26). Of the 369 patients with CAP, bacterial pathogens were identified in 31.7% (n = 117, 95% CI: 27.0%-36.7%). The most common isolates were Moraxella catarrhalis (n = 15; 12.8%), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 15; 12.8%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 12; 10.3%), Escherichia coli (n = 11; 9.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 11; 9.4%), Enterobacter species (n = 11; 9.4%), and Citrobacter species (n = 11; 9.4%). Among the identified isolates, resistance rates were high in Enterobacteriaceae, followed by Gram-positive bacteria, and non-Enterobacteriaceae. Overall, 68 (58.1%) of the identified bacterial isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR), with K. pneumoniae accounting for the highest proportion of multidrug resistant isolates (91.7%), while P. aeruginosa accounted for the lowest proportion (9.1%) of MDR isolates. This study revealed a high prevalence (31.7%) of bacterial pathogens in CAP patients and higher (58.1%) MDR bacterial pathogens. Therefore, regular surveillance and monitoring systems are warranted for assessing predominant pathogens and antibiotic resistance patterns.

Antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Gonococcal isolates obtained from men presenting with urethral discharge in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Implications for national syndromic treatment guideline.

BACKGROUND: Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus) is the etiologic agent for the sexually transmitted Infection gonorrhea, a disease with a significant global public health impact. The treatment regimen for gonorrhea has been changed frequently over the past few decades due to the organism's propensity for developing antibiotic resistance. This study investigated antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of quinolones, third-generation cephalosporin, and other relevant antimicrobials found in N. gonorrhoeae isolated from men presenting with urethral discharge at selected healthcare facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the aim of revising the national treatment regimen based on the information generated from this study. METHODS: A total of 599 male patients presenting with urethral discharge were included in the current study. Urethral discharge specimens were cultured on Modified Thayer Martín media and suspected gonococcal colonies were confirmed using Oxidase and Superoxol tests followed by identification through a commercial kit (API-NHR). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method using ciprofloxacin (5µg), ceftriaxone (30µg), cefixime (5µg), cefoxitin (30 µg), penicillin (10µg) and spectinomycin (100 µg) on enriched GC agar. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was also carried out using concentration gradient strips (E-tests) of the same antimicrobial agents. RESULTS: The prevalence of gonococcal isolates in the current study was 69%. Out of the 361 gonococcal isolates, close to 68% were fluoroquinolone non-susceptible, with 60% resistant and 7% having an intermediate status. However, all tested isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone. In addition, all of the isolates have shown reduced non-susceptibility to spectinomycin and cefoxitin. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of gonococcal isolates in men presenting with urethral discharge at selected healthcare facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was found to be high. The high level of fluoroquinolone resistance observed in gonococcal isolates recovered in this study necessitates revision of the national syndromic treatment guideline.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Salmonellosis in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis using reliable tools and treatment following in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility tests are critical to proper addressing of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella infection. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the practice of diagnosis and treatment of salmonellosis in Addis Ababa. Tube Widal test (for blood samples only), culture, biochemical and carbohydrate fermentation, serotyping, and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were employed for both blood and stool samples. RESULTS: Of all the diseases listed in the diagnosis, nontyphoidal (n = 72, 13.71%) and typhoidal (n = 47, 8.95%) salmonellosis were the second and third common diseases. Among the 288 blood samples, almost half were positive for O, H, or both antigens. However, only 1 (0.68%) of the positive blood samples yielded Salmonella isolate during culture. The study demonstrated low specificity (0.68%) and positive predictive value (48.78%) of Widal test. Conversely, the test showed 100% sensitivity and negative predictive values. Salmonella isolates were identified from 7 (7.07%) of 99 stool samples. Two-thirds of salmonellosis suspected patients received antibiotic treatment. However, only half of the confirmed salmonellosis patients were treated with appropriate antibiotics. All of the isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone but resistant to ampicillin. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the patients who participated in this study were wrongly diagnosed using symptoms, clinical signs, and tube Widal test. Consequently, most of the patients received inappropriate treatment.