European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PREVALENCE AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN OF NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING GYNECOLOGY AND SEXUAL TRANSMITTED INFECTION CLINICS AT BAHIR DAR TOWN, NORTH WEST ETHIOPIA

Tameru Menberu Melaku and Robel Mekonnen Yimer*

ABSTRACT

Background:- Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection is the second most common prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial infection. Currently, the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant N. gonorrhoeae isolates is a concern. The aim of this study was to determining the proportion and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of N. gonorheae isolates among patients attending Gynecology and Sexually transmitted infection clinic in the selected health institution at Bahir Dar Town, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: Across sectional study was done at the selected health institution in Bahirdar town from February 01 to July 30, 2017. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and possible associated factors were collected by face to face interview using structured pre-tested questionnaire. Urethral and endo-cervical swab sample were collected by trained nurses. The collected samples were transported to microbiology laboratory and processed within 15min following standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the isolates was performed using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Descriptive statistics were used to present relevant variables. Binary logistic regression was used and significant variables were further adjusted using multivariate analysis. A p-value <0.05 was considered as level of significance. Results: Of the total 169 STI symptomatic patients screened, 8(4.7%) were positive for N. gonorrhoeae infection. The highest proportion of N. gonorheae infection occurred in the age group of 15-29 years at 7(6.1%). The number of N. gonorrhoeae infection isolate was seven in females and one in males. However, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.76). Alcohol intake (p=0.035) and khat chewing (p=0.011) were significantly associated with N. gonorrhoeae infection. All N. gonorrhoeae isolates were resistant to Penicillin and Tetracycline. Whereas three isolates showed resistance to Doxyclin, Cefoxitin, Cefixime, Cefpodoxime, Ofloxacin, Spectinomycin but all isolates were sensitive to Ceftriaxone. This study concludes that drinking alcohol and chewing chat were the identified associated variables. Thus, awareness on substance use should be created in the community. Emphasis should be given among health professionals in minimizing misuse of antibiotics.

Keywords: N. Gonorrhoeae, Drug Susceptibility Patterns, STI, Bahirdar, Ethiopia.