The Burden and Antibiotic Sensitivity of Salmonella Non-Typhi and Shigella Related Bloody Diarrhea in Children.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to report the frequency of non-typhoidal (SNT) and spp. diarrhea and the antibiotic sensitivity in children.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of children with bloody diarrhea seen at Rustaq Hospital between 1 June 2019 and 31 June 2023. We collected data related to demographic characteristics, symptoms, blood investigations, stool bacterial culture, and antimicrobial sensitivity. Stool samples were tested for and growth.

RESULTS

Out of 1160 children with diarrhea, 153 (13.2%) had bloody diarrhea of which 129 (84.3%) were under five. Ninety-two (60.1%) children were positive for either or . Among the positive cultures, 58 (63.0%) children had SNT, while 34 (37.0%) had infection. Three children had bacteremia, all under one year old. SNT demonstrated high sensitivity primarily to ceftriaxone (n = 41; 70.7%), ampicillin (n = 53; 91.4%), and ciprofloxacin (n = 54; 93.1%). In contrast, showed high resistance to ceftriaxone and only 15 (46.9%) patients showed sensitivity. Additionally, 29 children had Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites co-infection with on stool microscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

is more prevalent than in children under five years, while is more common in children over five. is sensitive to both ceftriaxone and ampicillin. demonstrates resistance to multiple antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin. It is recommended that children under the age of one be admitted and treated empirically with either ceftriaxone or ampicillin. In older children, antibiotic therapy should be guided by stool culture results. Ciprofloxacin is not a good empirical choice for in our population due to its high resistance and is contraindicated in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.