SCREENING FOR OXACILLIN RESISTANT SALMONELLA SPECIES ISOLATED FROM PALMS OF SOME PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS WITHIN KADUNA SOUTH LGA, NIGERIA

Salmonella species is the causative agent of typhoid fever which is a disease characterized by high mortality and morbidity worldwide. This study was carried out to screen oxacillin resistant- Salmonella species isolated from palms of some primary school pupils and food vendors within Kaduna South LGA, Nigeria. Three hundred (300) swab samples were collected from pupils and food vendors of the three selected primary schools as the sampling location. Salmonella enterica was isolated and identified using standard bacteriological methods. Isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin 28 (70.0%), Augmentin® 25 (65.0%) amoxicillin 25 (62.5%) and vancomycin 22 (55.0%) but showed resistance to oxacillin 9 (22.5%), ampicillin 12 (30.0%), chloramphenicol 15 (37.5%) and tetracycline 16 (40.0%). Antibiotics that exhibited intermediate susceptibility were methicillin 8 (20.0%) and gentamicin 11 (27.5%). Ciprofloxacin was the most effective antimicrobial agent against Salmonella enterica. The presence of oxacillin-resistant Salmonella enterica was detected via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and agarose gel electrophoresis. The study recommends that regular monitoring of antibiotic susceptibility pattern and good hygiene practices such as hand washing with soap and water and the use of alcoholic based hand sanitizers should be encouraged.