Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Salmonella typhi Isolated from Hostel Tap Water of a Tertiary Institution in Makurdi

Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella enterica serovar typhi. This study was undertaken and the aim of the study is to ascertain the antibiotics susceptibility pattern of Salmonella typhi. Isolation of Salmonella typhi strains from a total of 20 tap water samples which was from 4 different hostels in University of Agriculture, Makurdi was done by standard microbiological and biochemical techniques. The strains isolated were examined for their susceptibility to ten antibiotics using the disc diffusion method. The highest susceptibility was to Tarivid and Streptomycin (65%), followed by Amoxicillin (50%), Gentamycin (40%), Septrin (30%), the drug with the highest resistance was Pefloxacin (100%), Sparfloxacin (65%), intermediate resistance in Ciprofloxacin and Chloramphenicol (40%). In the hostels Block A isolates recorded the highest susceptibility to antibiotics while Block C had the least, but there was no significant difference in their mean (P > 0.05). This study indicates that the hostel water supply is contaminated with Salmonella typhi strain and these strains are becoming increasingly resistant to Ciprofloxacin and other quinolones. Therefore, improvements in public sanitation facilities, vaccinations, availability of portable water for safe drinking, and rational use of antibiotics are some recommended ways of preventing antibiotics resistance in Salmonella typhi.