EVALUATION OF MINIMUM INHIBITORY CONCENTRATION OF CHLORAMPHENICOL FOR SALMONELLA SPP. ISOLATED FROM ENTERIC FEVER CASES IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN IMPHAL

Chloramphenicol was introduced as the effective antibiotic in the treatment of typhoid fever. Resistance started to develop within two years of its introduction. The emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria is closely linked to the irrational use of antibiotics. The sensitivity/resistance pattern of Salmonella spp. had been varying with time and geographical locations. Changing trends in antibiotic resistance patterns especially of chloramphenicol have been recorded in different parts of India. So the study was done to evaluate the minimum inhibitory concentration of chloramphenicol. Two hundred clinically suspected cases of enteric fever were included in the studies during the period of one year and nine months. Positive blood culture for Salmonella spp. was 8%. Isolates of Salmonella Typhi were 100% sensitive to cotrimoxazole, chloramphenicol, and cefotaxime. 12 (75%) were sensitive to ampicillin, 7 (43.7%) to azithromycin, 14 (87.50%) to ceftriaxone and 10 (62.5%) were sensitive to cefixime. The isolates show 100% resistance to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for all the chloramphenicol sensitive isolates ranged in between 1-4μg/ml.