Epidemiological patterns and antimicrobial resistance of bacterial diarrhea among children in Nairobi City, Kenya.

Abstract

AIM: Determine the prevalence of enteric bacterial pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance among diarrheic children in Nairobi City, Kenya. BACKGROUND: Regardless of enteric bacterial pathogens being a major cause of gastroenteritis in children, their occurrence and antimicrobial resistance patterns reveals regional spatial and temporal variation. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, a total of 374 children below five years presenting with diarrhea at Mbagathi County Hospital were recruited. Stool microbiology test was used to detect enteric bacterial infection. Antimicrobial resistance was determined using the disk diffusion method. RESULTS: co-infections. Most of the isolates were resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics. CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of enteric bacterial pathogens and co-infection alters epidemiological dynamics of bacterial diarrhea in children. Continuous antibiotic resistance surveillance is justified because the pathogens were highly resistant to commonly prescribed antimicrobials.