Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of <i>Proteus Species</i> Isolated from Clinical Specimens from Selected Hospitals in Jigawa State, North-West Nigeria.

Abstract

Proteus is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the family of Enterobactericeae. Antibiotic resistance of bacteria is commonly seen in daily medical practice with multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria posing the greatest threat to human health. To determine the prevalence of Proteus species isolated from clinical samples and antibiotics sensitivity pattern from selected hospitals in Jigawa state, Nigeria. The study was carried out on all Proteus organisms isolated from clinical samples from selected hospitals in Jigawa State. The clinical samples were aseptically collected and inoculated on plates of Blood agar, and MacConkey agar (Oxoid Cambridge, UK) and incubated at 37⁰C for 24 hours. Suspected Proteus colonies were identified through biochemical tests according to Barrow and Felthan. Modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used to test the susceptibility of the Proteus isolates to nine different antimicrobial agents. The diameter of zone of growth-inhibition was observed, measured and recorded sensitive (S) or resistance (R) according to CLSI, 2012. It was found that 191 isolates were identified as Proteus species representing 10.3% encountered were susceptible to Imipenem (100%). The prevalence of Proteus species is on the increase in Jigawa state and by extension North-west Nigeria. Prudent use of antimicrobial agents is advocated in order to tame the trend.