Mechanisms of Bacterial Drug Resistance with Special Emphasis on Phenotypic and Molecular Characterization of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase.

Antibiotics are designed to effectively treat bacterial infections while minimizing harm to the human body. They work by targeting specific components of bacteria or by disrupting essential processes such as cell wall synthesis, membrane function, protein production, and metabolic pathways. However, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics have led to the emergence of drug resistance in humans, animals, and agriculture, contributing to the global spread of this problem. Drug resistance can be either innate or acquired, with acquired resistance involving changes in the bacterial chromosomes or transferable elements. Bacterial species employ various mechanisms of drug resistance, including modifying the antibiotic targets, inactivating the drug, reducing uptake or increasing efflux, overexpressing the target, utilizing alternative pathways, and forming biofilms. One significant concern in the realm of drug resistance revolves around the emergence and proliferation of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), a gene that is found in most gram-negative bacteria, primarily carried by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in healthcare settings. ESBL-mediated resistance poses challenges for diagnosis, treatment, infection control, and antibiotic stewardship. Accurate detection of ESBL genes is crucial, and phenotypic methods are commonly used for initial screening. However, these methods have limitations, and confirmatory molecular techniques such as PCR and DNA sequencing are employed to accurately identify ESBL genes. Despite the significant global concerns surrounding ESBLs, they have spread worldwide, mainly facilitated by healthcare settings, inappropriate antimicrobial use, and host susceptibility. Addressing this issue requires implementing comprehensive measures, including enhanced surveillance, strict infection control practices, antibiotic stewardship programs, rapid diagnostic methods, alternative therapies, public education initiatives, and research focused on developing new drugs. Furthermore, collaboration among the healthcare, public health, and research sectors is pivotal in effectively combating the escalating threat posed by ESBL-mediated resistance. Antibiotics have revolutionized medical care by effectively treating bacterial infections. However, the emergence of ESBL gene resistance poses a global challenge that requires an integrated approach to prevent a threatening future.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Shigella Species among Children under Five Years of Age with Diarrhea in Selected Health Centers, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Shigella and parasitic infections are common public health problems throughout the world. Shigellosis is an acute gastroenteritis infection and one of Ethiopia's most common causes of morbidity and mortality, especially in children under five. High resistance rates to commonly used antibiotic agents have been documented in different locations in Ethiopia. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the antimicrobial features of the Shigella species isolated from children under five years of age with acute diarrhea in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study, freshly passed fecal specimens were collected for intestinal parasite and bacterial isolation. Fecal samples for bacterial identification were placed immediately in Cary-Blair media and transported to the Ethiopian Public Health Institution (EPHI) laboratory. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AMST) was conducted using the disk diffusion method. Data were described using descriptive statistical tools. The association of independent and dependent variables was evaluated with logistic regression. A P value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasites was 8.2% with seven different species. Among the 534 stool-cultured specimens, 47 (8.8%) were positive for Shigella species. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AMST) showed that 100%, 93.6%, 80.9%, 72.3%, and 57.5% were susceptible to norfloxacin, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and cefoxitin, respectively. However, 100% of the isolates were resistant to amoxicillin and erythromycin. More than 50% of the isolates were resistant to three and above antibiotics, while none of them were susceptible to all the antibiotics tested. All risk factors assessed did not show a statistically significant association with Shigella infection. Conclusion: The high levels of antibiotic resistance observed among the commonly prescribed antibiotics are alarming. The emerging resistance to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid signals a severe public health threat in the management of shigellosis. Raising awareness about resistance and educating health professionals, policymakers, and the public can help improve the quality of patient care and rational antibiotic use.

Bacterial Isolates and Antibacterial Resistance Patterns in a Patient with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a Tertiary Teaching Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia.

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality worldwide. The natural course of COPD is characterized by acute exacerbation. Infectious agents, particularly bacteria, cause exacerbation of COPD in the majority. This study aimed to determine the bacteriology and antibiotic resistance patterns among patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) at Jimma Medical Center. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to October 2019. Demographic, clinical, and sputa samples were collected from 39 study participants, who were diagnosed with AECOPD. Bacterial pathogens were identified using standard bacteriological techniques, and anti-microbial susceptibility testing was done by Kirby Bauer's disk diffusion method. Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESßL) and carbapenemase production were confirmed by MASTTM D68C and MASTTM D73C combination disc sets, respectively. Chi-square and odds ratios were calculated. Results: Overall, 69.2% (27/39) of sputum samples were confirmed to be culture-positive. A total of 32 bacterial isolates with 78.1% (25/32) Gram-negative and 21.9% (7/32) Gram-positive bacteria were identified. The predominant bacterial isolates were Pseudomonas aeruginosa 21.9% (7/32), Klebsiella pneumoniae 18.75% (6/32), and Staphylococcus aureus 15.62% (7/32). Overall, 30 (93.8%) of the isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR). About 48% (12/25) and 8 (32%)of gram negative bacterial isolates were ESBL betalatemase and OXA-48 carbapenemase producers, respectively. Having two or more exacerbation experiences in the previous year were found to be important determinants of the sputum culture positivity. Conclusions: High rates of MDR, ESBL, and carbapenemase producer bacteria were isolated from patients with AECOPD. Empiric antibiotic therapy should consider the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and the factor that may increase the occurrence of MDR bacterial pathogens.

Microbial Contamination and Antimicrobial Resistance in Use of Ophthalmic Solutions at the Department of Ophthalmology, Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Eye drops are most frequently used medications in ophthalmology. The carriage of pathogenic organisms to eyes through the agency of eye drops has presented a serious problem for several decades. The objective of this study was to determine the magnitude of contamination and pattern of antimicrobial resistance of in-use ophthalmic solutions. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Jimma University Specialized Hospital (JUSH), Southwest Ethiopia, from June to December 2015. Samples from all ophthalmic solutions from outpatient department, operation theaters, and wards after an average duration of use of two weeks were taken. Samples were cultured and organisms were identified; antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using standard microbial identification techniques. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. Chi-square test was done and associations were taken as significant if P < 0.05. RESULT: The rate of contamination of eye drops in the study setup was found to be 51/70 (72.8%). Frequency of contamination of eye drops found was to be statistically associated with the duration of use of eye drops. Contaminations of eye drops were high among patients who self-administer the medications and those individuals who apply the medication less frequently. Tips of the bottles were more often contaminated than the content of the eye drop. Majority of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms were sensitive for most of the broad-spectrum antibiotics; however, there were a significant number of Gram-negative organisms resistant to almost all antibiotics used. CONCLUSION: There is high rate of contamination of eye drops in the setup (72.8%). Duration of use of eye drops is a significant factor associated with contamination. Knowing duration time of each container and patient education on eye drop administration technique are mandatory.

Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated from patients with ear discharge in Jimma Town, Southwest, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Otitis media is among the leading causes of childhood illnesses although it can also affect the adults resulting in frequent physician visits, drug prescription and a key contributor to antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors, bacterial profile, and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the isolates from patients with discharging ears which clinically equates to draining otitis media in developing countries with limited medical resources such as otoscope. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 173 patients with draining otitis media. The ear discharge specimens were collected and analyzed by standard microbial techniques. The antibiotic susceptibility profiles were determined for 19 different antibiotics by the standard disk diffusion method. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 22 and the P value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Among 173 otitis media patients participated in the study; majority, 102(63%) were pediatrics, out of which 72 (41.61%) were in the age group of less than 4 years. Ear infection was bilateral in 39 (22.54%) and chronic in 100 (57.8%) of the patients. Pathogens were isolated from 160 (92.5%) of the patients with a total of 179 isolates. The predominant isolate was Staphylococcus aureus (30.72%) followed by Proteus spp. (17.89%). The result of this study showed that adult age (p = 0.031), rural residence (p = 0.005), previous history of health care visit and treatment (p = 0.000), upper respiratory tract infection (p = 0.018) and presence of cigarette smoker in the house (p = 0.022) had statistically significant association with chronic otitis media. Most of the isolated bacteria showed high level of resistance to ampicillin/amoxicillin (88.3%), penicillin G (79.5%) followed by trimethoprim /sulfamethoxazole (73.8%). Conversely, the majority of bacterial isolates showed moderate susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (72.9%), gentamicin (70.4%), and amikacin (69.3%). Bacterial isolates identified in this study showed trend of multiple drug resistance, majority (67%) being resistant to three or more antimicrobials. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the bacterial isolates were multidrug resistant, hence, efforts to isolate microorganisms and determine the susceptibility pattern should be strengthened to improve the treatment outcome of otitis media instead of the usual trend of empirical treatment.

Prevalence of intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species among diarrheal children in Jimma health center, Jimma southwest Ethiopia: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Diarrheal disease continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality among young children in developing countries including Ethiopia. Globally, intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species remain major contributors to acute enteric infections. The study was aimed at determining the frequency of intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species identified from diarrheic children at Jimma Health Centre, Jimma south west Ethiopia. METHODS: A health institution based cross sectional study was conducted from March to November 2012. A structured questionnaire was used for collection of data on socio- demographic characteristics. Parasite and bacteria identification as well as susceptibility testing was done using standard parasitological and bacteriological procedures. RESULTS: A total of 260 diarrheal children were included in the study. A total of 129 (49.6%) samples were positive for intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species. Of these, 107 (41.1%), 6 (2.3%) and 16 (6.2%) samples were positive for intestinal parasite, Shigella and Salmonella species respectively. The dominant isolated parasite was G. lamblia with prevalence of 13.5% followed by A. lumbricoides (11.5%). The least identified parasites were Schistosoma mansoni and Taenia species accounting 0.4% each. Multiple parasitic infections were observed in 19 (7.3%) patients. Shigella species showed hundred percent resistances to ampicillin, amoxacillin, and cotrimoxazole. All Salmonella isolates were resistant against amoxicillin. All Shigella and Salmonella species were susceptible to ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and gentamycin. CONCLUSION: The presence of reasonably high amount of intestinal parasite and Salmonella and Shigella species that are drug resistance to the commonly prescribed drugs is a treat to the children and community at large. Therefore, measures including health education, improvement of safe water supply, sanitation facilities and continuous monitoring of microbiological and antimicrobial surveillance is crucial.

Hierarchical Predictors of Mortality in Neonatal Sepsis at Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study.

Background: Neonatal sepsis made the neonatal period the most perilous time for child survival, and it continued to cause preventable mortalities worldwide. These mortalities stem from the interaction of several factors that have not been sufficiently studied and, in some cases, remain overlooked. Thus, the study aims to investigate the predictors of mortality that arise from the interaction of these factors and quantitatively determine their etiologic fraction. Methods: A case-control study with hierarchical data input was conducted at Jimma Medical Center (JMC) in Oromia, Ethiopia, spanning from May 2022 to July 2023. It employed logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. The model adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for variables within each level and farther levels and presented an etiologic fraction (EF), indicating the proportion of neonatal mortality attributable to specific factors. Results: The analysis of 67 cases and 268 controls unveiled significant predictors of mortality in sepsis that emerged from distal, intermediate, and proximal levels. In the final model, thus, rural residence [AOR 3.1; 95% CI (1.5, 6.3), p ≤ 0.01], prolonged labor [AOR 4.5; 95% CI (2.2, 9.3), p ≤ 0.01], prematurity [AOR 3.9; 95% CI (1.9, 7.9), P ≤ 0.0], gram-negative bacteremia [AOR 3.8; 95% CI (1.9, 7.6); P ≤ 0.01], convulsion [AOR 3.2; 95% CI (1.6, 6.4); P ≤ 0.03], low birth weight [AOR 2.7; 95% CI (1.3, 5.4); P≤0.01], and delayed breastfeeding [AOR 2.5; 95% CI (1.2, 4.9); P ≤ 0.01] attributed a variable percentage of mortality. Conclusion: Factors emerging and interacting at distal (residence), intermediate (prolonged labor), and proximal (prematurity, birth weight, convulsion, bacterial etiology, and feeding) levels influence neonatal mortality in sepsis at JMC. Therefore, concurrently improving rural family characteristics, managing labor duration, strengthening diagnostic stewardship, and promoting essential newborn care can actively prevent and reduce these mortalities.

Bacterial contamination, bacterial profile and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of isolates from stethoscopes at Jimma University Specialized Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Hospital acquired infections are recognized as critical public health problems. Infections are frequently caused by organisms residing in healthcare environment, including contaminated medical equipment like Stethoscopes. OBJECTIVE: To determine bacterial contamination, bacterial profile and anti-microbial susceptibility pattern of the isolates from stethoscopes at Jimma University Specialized Hospital. METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study conducted from May to September 2011 at Jimma University Specialized Hospital. One hundred seventy-six stethoscopes owned by Health Care Workers (HCWs) and Medical students were randomly selected and studied. Self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data. Specimen was collected using moisten sterile cotton swab and 1 ml normal saline was used to transport the specimen, all laboratory investigations were done following standard microbiological techniques, at Microbiology Laboratory, Jimma University. SPSS windows version 16 used for data analysis and P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULT: A total, of 151 (85.8%) stethoscopes were contaminated. A total of 256 bacterial strains and a mean of 1.44×104 CFUs/diaphragm of stethoscopes was isolated. Of the 256 isolates, 133 (52%) were potential pathogens like S. aureus, Klebsiella spp., Citrobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Proteus spp., Enterobacter spp., P. aeruginosa and E. coli. All strains were resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics (two to eight classes of antibiotics). Disinfection practice was poor. Disinfection practice was found to be associated with bacterial contamination of stethoscopes (P < 0.05). High contamination rate 100 (90.9%) was observed among stethoscopes that had never been disinfected; while the least contamination 29 (72.2%) was found on those disinfected a week or less before the survey. CONCLUSION: Bacterial contamination of the stethoscope was significant. The isolates were potential pathogens and resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics. Stethoscope is potential vehicle in the transmission of infections between patients and Healthcare Workers. Stethoscope diaphragm should be disinfected before and after each patient contact.

Epidemiologic features of neonatal sepsis and its COVID-19 associated temporal patterns in Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia: A Joinpoint regression analysis.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal sepsis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates across all regions, including Africa. Compared to developed and some developing countries, there are relatively few epidemiological trends for neonatal sepsis and associated patterns with COVID-19 in Ethiopia. We modeled an epidemiological trend and pattern to aid in the monitoring of changes in neonatal sepsis. METHODS: Retrospective data were collected from all admissions to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Ethiopia at Jimma Medical Center between May 2019 and April 2022. We analyzed the monthly neonatal sepsis incidence, mortality, and case-fatality rates using STATA software. Finally, we modeled a monthly time series of neonatal sepsis incidence trends and patterns associated with the COVID-19-impacted period using Joinpoint software. For all analyses, a P value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant at the 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: In the 36 months, 6796 cases were admitted to the NICU, with a 9.5% (95% CI: 9.1, 10.0) incidence rate of neonatal sepsis. The overall admission mortality rate was 16.5% (95% CI: 13.6, 19.8), while sepsis-attributed mortality was 7.1% (95% CI: 5.8, 8.5). The data showed an unstable decreasing trend for three Joinpoints (August 2020, December 2020, and August 2021). Notably, a decrease in the incidence trend was observed from May 2019 to August 2020 (MPC, -4.1; 95% CI: -7.6, -0.5; P = 0.03), followed by a sharp increase (MPC, 23.7; 95% CI: -13.8, 77.7; P = 0.24) from August 2020 to December 2020. From December 2020 to August 2021, there was again a decreasing trend (MPC, -13.8; 95% CI: -23.3, -3.5; P = 0.01), followed by a slight increase from August 2021 to April 2022 (MPC, 4.2; 95% CI: -8.4, 18.6; P = 0.52). Finally, the study revealed an association between patterns of neonatal sepsis incidence trends and COVID-19, with a Joinpoint jump model comparability ratio (CR = 0.43) between pre- and COVID-19-impacted periods. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal sepsis was prevalent at Jimma Medical Center, but it was on an unstably declining trend. The current results suggest a potential temporal association between the intensity of COVID-19 containment measures and a change in the incidence trend and patterns of neonatal sepsis. However, the quantified contribution of a particular containment measure requires further investigation.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial-Resistant Features of Shigella Species in East Africa from 2015-2022: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Shigellosis is the most common cause of epidemic dysentery found worldwide, particularly in developing countries, where it causes infant diarrhea and mortality. The prevalence of Shigella species resistant to commonly used antimicrobial drugs has steadily increased. The purpose of this review is to describe the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) characteristics of Shigella species in East Africa between 2015 and 2022. Methods: Studies were identified using a computerized search of Medline/PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases, with a detailed search strategy and cross-checking of reference lists for studies published between 2015 and 2022. Articles presenting data on prevalence and AMR, accessibility of the full-length article, and publication dates between 2015 and 2022 were the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the review. Original research reports written in English were considered. The heterogeneities of the studies were examined, and a meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled prevalence and AMR using a random effects model. Results: The pooled prevalence of Shigella species in East Africa was 6.2% (95% CI -0.20-12.60), according to an analysis of 22 studies. Shigella species prevalence was 4.0% in Ethiopia, 14.6% in Kenya, 0.7% in Sudan, 5.2% in South Sudan, and 20.6% in Somalia. The association of Shigella infection significantly varied among the countries (p = 0.01). Among the antibiotics tested, most Shigella isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, nalidixic acid, and ceftriaxone. Despite the fact that the reports varied in study sites and time, Shigella species were resistant to tetracycline, ampicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, and co-trimoxazole. Conclusion: The pooled estimate indicates high burden of Shigella infection in East Africa, as well as a high proportion of drug resistance pattern to tetracycline, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and amoxicillin. Therefore, initiating and scale-up of performing drug susceptibility test for each shigellosis case need to be considered and strengthened.

Bacterial etiology, antimicrobial resistance and factors associated with community acquired pneumonia among adult hospitalized patients in Southwest Ethiopia.

Background and Objectives: Antibiotic resistance is a significant problem that restricts the options for treating bacterial pneumonia. This research aimed to determine the bacterial causes of pneumonia and antibiotic resistance among hospitalized patients in southwest Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: We collected and analyzed 150 sputum samples from individuals with community-acquired pneumonia from April 1st to October 30th, 2019. Standard bacteriological procedures were used to identify the bacteria. Kirby Bauer's disk diffusion method was used to assess the bacteria's susceptibility patterns. Production of carbapenemase and extended-spectrum-lactamase were confirmed phenotypically. Odds ratios and the chi-square test were computed. Results: On the whole, bacterial pathogens were verified in 50% of the sputum samples. The predominant bacterial isolates were Klebsiella species, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. About 77.5% of isolates were multidrug resistant. Moreover, 40.5% and 10.8% of the isolates were ESBL and carbapenemase producers, respectively. Aging, tobacco smoking, previous history of pneumonia, heart disease, and chronic respiratory disease had association with sputum culture-positivity. Conclusion: As a result, it is important to regularly monitor the bacterial etiologies and their patterns of resistance. Additionally, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics should all be taken into account while managing patients with pneumonia empirically in this context.

A global genomic analysis of Salmonella Concord reveals lineages with high antimicrobial resistance in Ethiopia.

Antimicrobial resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Concord (S. Concord) is known to cause severe gastrointestinal and bloodstream infections in patients from Ethiopia and Ethiopian adoptees, and occasional records exist of S. Concord linked to other countries. The evolution and geographical distribution of S. Concord remained unclear. Here, we provide a genomic overview of the population structure and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of S. Concord by analysing genomes from 284 historical and contemporary isolates obtained between 1944 and 2022 across the globe. We demonstrate that S. Concord is a polyphyletic serovar distributed among three Salmonella super-lineages. Super-lineage A is composed of eight S. Concord lineages, of which four are associated with multiple countries and low levels of AMR. Other lineages are restricted to Ethiopia and horizontally acquired resistance to most antimicrobials used for treating invasive Salmonella infections in low- and middle-income countries. By reconstructing complete genomes for 10 representative strains, we demonstrate the presence of AMR markers integrated in structurally diverse IncHI2 and IncA/C2 plasmids, and/or the chromosome. Molecular surveillance of pathogens such as S. Concord supports the understanding of AMR and the multi-sector response to the global AMR threat. This study provides a comprehensive baseline data set essential for future molecular surveillance.

Isolation and Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Fermented Milk Produced in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia, and Evaluation of their Antimicrobial Activity against Selected Pathogenic Bacteria.

Background: Raw milk is usually contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. Fermentation of milk is important to inhibit the growth of contaminants, spoilage, and pathogenic bacteria. The objective of this study was to isolate lactic acid bacteria from fermented milk and evaluate their antimicrobial activity against selected pathogenic bacteria. Methods: Laboratory-based experimental study design was conducted from May-July, 2021.Three samples of Ergo (each of 250 ml) were collected from Jimma town. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates were identified through integrated phenotypic techniques. Further identification was conducted through using API 50 CHL strips. Antimicrobial activities (AMAs) of LAB isolates were tested against clinical isolates of E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. using agar well diffusion method. The data were analyzed by using SPSS software version 21 and Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Tables and figures were applied to describe characteristics of data. Results: Twelve LAB isolates were identified. Those LAB isolates include six Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus (2), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (1), Limosilactobacillus fermentum (2), and Leuconostoc lactis (1). Based on primary screening of LAB, isolates/strains ESCIa, ESBIa, and ESCIc show strong AMA against S. aureus, E. coli, and Salmonella spp. The CFS of ESCIc showed the highest AMA against S. aureus and Salmonella spp. with a zone of inhibition of 14.12 ± 1.6 mm and 12.9 ± 3.6 mm, respectively, while ESBIa showed the highest AMA against E. coli with a zone of inhibition of 13.5 ± 2.1 mm. The CFSs of selected LAB strains were heat tolerant at varying temperatures up to 100°C. The CFSs of selected LAB strains were inactivated by proteinase enzymes, but they are not inactivated with amylase enzymes. Conclusions and Recommendation. All 12 LAB isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity against tested bacterial strains. Lactobacillus isolates showed the highest antagonistic activity on tested indicator strains. Thus, they are possible alternatives to antibiotics in the era of antimicrobial resistance. S. aureus was the most sensitive to antimicrobial effects/agents of selected LAB isolates. Consumption of fermented foods is advisable since they support the growth of healthy GIT microbiota. Fermentation serves as biopreservation of food. However, analysis of probiotic features and in vivo probiotic effects of those LAB isolates will be subject of future research/study.

Asymptomatic pharyngeal carriage rate of Streptococcus pyogenes, its associated factors and antibiotic susceptibility pattern among school children in Hawassa town, southern Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the asymptomatic pharyngeal carriage rate of S. pyogenes, antimicrobial pattern and related risk factors among school children in Hawassa, southern Ethiopia. RESULTS: Out of 287 school children's screened, 35 (12.2%) were colonized with S. pyogenes. The carriage rate was significantly associated with factors such as sex (female p = 0.013) occupational status of mother (p = 0.002), lower income source (500-900 ETB, 1000-1500 ETB) (p = 0.001, and p = 0.042), history of hospitalization (p = 0.00) and residence of the children (p = 0.002). High level resistant to tetracycline and low level to vancomycin were observed, while penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, and ceftriaxone were found to be effective.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage among medical students of Jimma University, Southwest Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVES: Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are often difficult to manage due to its resistance to multiple antibiotics. This study aimed to determine the nasal carriage of MRSA and its antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among medical students at the Jimma University medical center (JUMC), Southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted at the JUMC from May to August; 2016. A total of 371 participants were systematically selected. Demographic data was collected using pre-designed questionnaire. Nasal swabs were collected following standard microbiological methods. MRSA was detected using cefoxitin (30µg) disc (Oxoid, UK); and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by disc diffusion method. RESULTS: A total of 371 students were included. Of these, 84.9% (315/371) were males. The overall prevalence of nasal carriage of S. aureus and MRSA among medical students at JUMC were 22.1% (82/371) and 8.4 % (31/371), respectively. The carriage rate of MRSA among medical intern (20% (16/80)) was higher compared with clinical year-I (3.6% (6/166)) and year-II (7.2% (9/125)) students. Resistance against trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin were 83.9%, 64.5% and 51.6%, respectively. Longer stay in hospital was significantly associated with the acquisition of MRSA (X2 = 6.93, P value = 0.031). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of nasal carriage of MRSA was high. Longer stay in hospital environment was associated with the acquisition of MRSA. These findings suggest that infection control efforts focusing the performance of antimicrobial stewardship could have a significant impact on MRSA incidence in this setting.

Nasal and Hand Carriage Rate of Staphylococcus aureus among Food Handlers Working in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Food handlers have been recognized to play a major role in the transmission of food borne diseases, contributing significantly to the global incidence and burden of the diseases. This study, therefore, aimed to assess the nasal and hand carriage of Staphylococcus aureus among food handlers in Jimma Town. METHODS: A community based cross sectional study was conducted from February to May 2017. Swab specimens from nasopharyngeal and hands of food handlers working in food establishments were collected for isolation and identification of S. aureus using standard bacteriological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was done using disc diffusion method. Associations of selected variables for S. aureus colonization were determined using SPSS version 20 with p ≤ 0.05 taken as statistically significant. RESULTS: Among the 300 food handlers working in hotels and restaurants in Jimma Town, 86(28.7%) were colonized by S. aureus. The frequency of isolation of S. aureus from nose, hand and both parts (nose and hand) were 27(9%), 34(11.3%) and 25(8.3%), respectively. There was strong association (P=0.00336) between carriage rate of S. aureus and food handlers' job category. The majority (90.7%) of the isolates were resistant to Penicillin and Ampicillin. Increased levels of sensitivity were observed against Ciprofloxacin (96.5%), Cefoxitin (95.3%) and Amoxicillin-Clavulanic Acid (94.2%). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a high prevalence of S. aureus carriers among food handlers and high antibacterial resistance towards commonly prescribed drugs, justifying the screening of food handlers to detect and treat carriers and protect restaurant customers from staphylococcal food poisoning.

Xpert MTB/RIF assay for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Rifampicin resistance in high Human Immunodeficiency Virus setting in Gambella regional state, southwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of a new and rapid molecular diagnostic for tuberculosis (TB) and rifampicin resistance (RIF) in the national TB program has improved the diagnosis of TB by shortening the turnaround time and detecting the presence of RIF resistance in high TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) settings such as Ethiopia. However, the implementation of this new diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of M. tuberculosis (MTB) and rifampicin (RIF) resistance in clinical setting is limited known in the country. Hence, this study intended to describe the program of GeneXpert MTB/RIF in the diagnosis of TB and RIF in high HIV setting in Gambella Regional State, Southwest Ethiopia. METHOD: Institutional based retrospective study was conducted among presumptive TB patients diagnosed with GeneXpert assay in the last three years (2015-2017) in Gambella Hospital from May 1-30, 2017. The data were collected from GeneXpert registration book using standard data extraction sheet. The data were entered and cleared using EPI data 3.1 and then, exported and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical software package. RESULT: Of the 995 presumptive TB patients who received the GeneXpert test in the last three years, 20.0% (95% CI: 17.4-22.7) of them had proven MTB detection while 4.9% (95% CI: 2.2-8.1) had RIF resistance. The prevalence of RIF resistance was 2.3% and 14.3% among the new and retreated cases respectively. There was also a 35.5% TB/HIV co-infections. The odd of MTB detection was higher among 15-29 [AOR 2.17 (95% CI: 1.25- 3.76)] and 30-44 [AOR 2.35 (95% CI: 1.36-4.07)] year old participants. The figure was however significantly lower among female [AOR 0.64 (95% CI: 0.45-0.91)] and unknown HIV status [AOR 0.38(95% CI: 0.24-0.61)] participants of the study. In addition, the odd of RIF resistance was significantly low among HIV unknown case [AOR 0.14 (95% CI: 0.02-0.96)]. It was also learnt that there was progressively decline of invalid or error Xpert result from 4.7% to 2.0% in the course of the study period (X2, 25.54; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The study confirms the high prevalence of TB, RIF resistance and TB/HIV co-infection among the study participants. Age, sex, and HIV status of the study participants were predictor factors for MTB detection while HIV status was associated with RIF resistance. Therefore, the results of the study indicate that there is the need for collaborative and intensified prevention of TB and HIV in the study area. The ongoing supervision and mentoring to improve the performance of Xpert in the institution need to be promoted.

Molecular epidemiology of fluoroquinolone resistant Salmonella in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Wide-ranging evidence on the occurrence of fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance genetic determinants in African Salmonella strains is not available. The main objectives of this study were to assess the heterogeneity, estimate pooled proportions and describe the preponderance of FQ-resistance determinants in typhoidal and non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) isolates of Africa. METHODS: Genetic and phenotypic data on 6103 Salmonella isolates were considered. Meta- and frequency analyses were performed depending on the number of studies by category, number of isolates and risks of bias. A random effects model was used to assess heterogeneity and estimate pooled proportions. Relative and cumulative frequencies were calculated to describe the overall preponderance of FQ-resistance determinants in quinolone resistant isolates. RESULTS: The pooled proportion of gyrA mutants (Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis) was estimated at 5.7% (95% Confidence interval (CI) = 2.6, 9.8; Tau squared (T2) = 0.1105), and was higher in S. Typhi than in S. Typhimurium (odds ratio (OR) = 3.3, 95%CI = 2, 5.7). The proportions of each of gyrB and parC mutants, and strains with Plasmid Mediated Quinolone Resistance genes (qnrA, qnrB and qnrS) were low (≤ 0.3%). Overall, 23 mutant serotypes were identified, and most strains had mutations at codons encoding Ser83 and Asp87 of gyrA (82%, 95%CI = 78, 86). CONCLUSIONS: Mutations at gyrA appear to account for ciprofloxacin non-susceptibility in most clinical Salmonella strains in Africa. The estimates could be harnessed to develop a mismatch-amplification mutation-assay for the detection of FQ-resistant strains in Africa.

Factors associated with unsuccessful treatment outcome in tuberculosis patients among refugees and their surrounding communities in Gambella Regional State, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of public health challenges among immigrant refugees and their surrounding communities in developing countries. Evaluating the treatment outcome of TB patients is one of the key indicators to understand the performance of TB control program. Hence, this study aims to assess profile, treatment outcome and factors associated with unsuccessful outcome of TB patients treated under the TB control program among refugees and their surrounding communities (SCs) in Gambella Regional State, Ethiopia. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective study was conducted in the health facilities of refugee and their SCs in Gambella Regional State from March 1 to May 30, 2017. Demographic and related data of all TB patients registered in TB Control Program between September, 2008 and October, 2017 in health facilities of refugee and the SCs was extracted using data extraction format. Eight years trend of TB, treatment outcome and factors associated with unsuccessful outcome among refugees and the SCs were computed using SPSS version 20.0 software. RESULT: A total of 886 refugees and 3284 SCs TB patients, registered for anti TB treatment in the last eight years, were evaluated in the study. The trend of all forms of TB is progressively increasing among refugees contrary to the SCs in the course of the study period (X2 trend = 207.7; P<0.0001). Smear positive pulmonary TB (PTB+) was found to be predominant (57.6%) TB form in refugees while smear negative pulmonary TB (PTB-) (44.8%) is in the SCs (X2 = 185.834; P<0.0001). There was also significant difference in the treatment outcome (X2 = 170.915; P<0.0001). Mean treatment success rate was 74.2% and 88.1% for refugees and the SCs, respectively (X2 = 92.887; P<0.0001). The study also revealed that the risk of unsuccessful TB treatment outcome was significantly higher among refugee (AOR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.69-2.77), retreated cases (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.07-2.17), patients aged between 35-44 years (AOR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.0-1.91), and greater than 44 years old (AOR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.28-2.44), and patients with extra pulmonary TB (EPTB) form (AOR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.04-1.73) compared to their counterparts. Patient coming from rural area (AOR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.62-0.97), who are female (AOR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.63-0.91) and TB/HIV non-infected (AOR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.51-0.77) were more likely to be successfully treated. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed that there was low treatment success rate among refugees compared to the SCs. Being refugee, retreated case, patient's age ≥35 years old, EPTB form, gender, rural patient address and HIV status were predictor factors for unsuccessful treatment outcome. Hence, the study urges the need for strengthened TB prevention program among refugees with due consideration of identified predictor factors to prevent the potential effect of hosting refugee to the SCs and the nations at large.

Intestinal parasitic infections among children under five years of age presenting with diarrhoeal diseases to two public health facilities in Hawassa, South Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Diarrhoea is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years of age in developing countries, including Ethiopia. It is caused by a wide range of pathogens, including parasites, bacteria and viruses. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of infection with intestinal parasites (IPs) (and types) among children under 5 years of age with diarrhoeal diseases. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Adare Hospital and Millennium Health Centre, both located in Hawassa, South Ethiopia, from June 6 to October 28, 2011. Children under 5 years of age with diarrhoea who visited these health facilities during the study period were included in the study. Data relating to demography and risk factors associated with intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) were gathered using a structured questionnaire. Single, fresh stool specimens were examined for IPs using the direct wet mount examination, followed by Ziehl-Neelsen staining of formol-ether concentrated samples, as per standard procedures. Data were analysed using SPSS Statistics 20 software. RESULTS: A total of 158 children (51.3 % male and 48.7 % female) participated in the study. Overall, the prevalence of IPs was 26.6 % (42/158). Two species of IPs were detected in six children (3.8 %). Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii was the predominant parasite identified (11.4 %), followed by Giardia duodenalis (7.0 %). The multivariable analysis revealed that the age group ≥24 months was significantly associated (AOR = 0.221, 95 %CI: 0.085-0.576) with prevalence of IPIs. CONCLUSION: This study found that intestinal parasites are common among children with diarrheal diseases. The most frequently detected species was E. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii. Health information about how to prevent diarrheal diseases in general and IPIs in particular should be provided to parents of young children.