Isolation, Identification and Characterization of Salmonella Serovars from Diarrhoeic Stool Samples of Human

The present study aimed at isolation and identification of Salmonella serovars from human stool and characterization of the isolated serovars using biochemical, serological, molecular and antimicrobial sensitivity techniques. A total of 25 samples were collected of which 16% were positive to Salmonella serovars. All the culturally positive isolates fermented dextrose, maltose and mannitol with the peoduction of acid and gas but not fermented sucrose and lactose. The same isolates showed Indole and V-P tests negative but M-R test positive. All the culturally and biochemically positive Salmonella serovars showed agglutination with poly ‘O’ and poly ‘H’ antisera. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that the isolated Salmonella serovars were highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin and moderately sensitive to chloramphenicol, kanamycin, cotrimoxazol and nalidixic acid. However, the positive isolates were resistant to erythromycin. The present study indicates that ciprofloxacin can be used as a first line therapy for the treatment of Salmonella gastroenteritis.