Decreased Susceptibility to Ciprofloxacin in Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, United Kingdom
Author Information
Author(s): E. John Threlfall, Linda R. Ward
Primary Institution: Central Public Health Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
Hypothesis
Are strains of Salmonella Typhi with decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin increasing among travelers returning to the U.K.?
Conclusion
Strains of S. Typhi with decreased sensitivity to ciprofloxacin are now endemic in several countries and treatment failures are increasingly noted.
Supporting Evidence
- In 1999, 23% of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi isolates from patients in the U.K. exhibited decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin.
- More than half of the isolates with decreased susceptibility were also resistant to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and trimethoprim.
- Most patients infected with multidrug-resistant strains had recently returned from the Indian subcontinent.
Takeaway
Some germs that cause typhoid fever are becoming harder to treat with common medicines, especially in people who travel back from certain countries.
Methodology
The study involved testing Salmonella Typhi strains for resistance to various antibiotics using agar dilution methods and E-tests.
Limitations
The reasons for fluctuations in multidrug resistance rates are not fully understood.
Participant Demographics
Most patients had recently returned from India or Pakistan.
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