Prevalence and Antibiogram Pattern of Typhoidal Salmonella at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Western Maharashtra

Background: Infections from Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi cause a life-threatening systemic febrile illness which is collectively known as enteric fever. The burden of disease is high in many underdeveloped countries due to lack of hygiene and poor access to safe drinking water. Similarly, the treatment of the disease remains a challenge due to the global spread of multidrug-resistant Salmonella strains. An accurate diagnosis with an appropriate antibiotic is necessary for effective treatment as resistance can vary from region to region over time. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to check the prevalence of Typhoidal Salmonella from a tertiary care center. Data from January 2023 to December 2024 of blood culture bottles collected from clinically suspected cases of enteric fever were retrieved and analyzed. Isolation and antibiotic susceptibility testing of Salmonella species was carried out by VITEK 2 COMPACT, an automated instrument at the department of Microbiology. Results: A total data from 10,333 paired blood culture bottles were collected from suspected enteric fever cases. The prevalence of Typhoidal Salmonella was 1.21%. The study also revealed a changing antibiotic resistance pattern by Salmonella species with increased resistance to ciprofloxacin and increased sensitivity to chloramphenicol as well as cotrimoxazoles. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of antimicrobial resistance monitoring under the Anti-microbial Resistance Research Network across India.