Antimicrobial sensitivity in cholera in Kenya

Abstract

Investigations were carried out with a view to establishing vibrio cholerae susceptibility to various antimicrobial agents. Tetracycline, chlorampenicol, co-trimoxazole, Erythromycin, Ampicillin, Minocycline, Amoxycillin and Nalidixic acid were included. Vibrio cholerae strains tested from 178 isolates were found to be completely resistant to Co-trimoxazole and amoxycillin. Complete resistance was encountered to Tetracycline, in Kirinyaga district (N=124) and highly resistant in Nyanza Province 67%(N=33). Variable high resistance was also encountered to Erythromycin 65.2% (N=178) and ampicillin 99.3%(N=l78)

The V. cholerae strains were 100% sensitive to Minocycline and Nalidixlc acid, and 84.3% sensitive to chloramphenicol. The multiple drug resistance encountered is usually confered by plasmids.