Version 4: Water and foodborne bacterial pathogens isolated from hospitalized children are extensively resistance against commonly used Penicillin-type antibiotics in developing countries

Diarrheal diseases pose a significant risk to children under the age of five, ranking as the second leading cause of death within this demographic. This threat is exacerbated by the emergence of multidrug-resistant enteric bacteria, contributing to the ongoing global health crisis. This study aims to identify prevalent bacteria responsible for diarrhea and evaluate their susceptibility to antibiotics in children under five receiving medical attention at a model Kenyan hospital; Muhoroni County Hospital. Varied approaches comprising biochemical analyses, microbial monitoring and susceptibility testing were conducted using conventional antibiotics on carefully collected patients’ samples to assess respective trends. Enteric bacterial pathogens were identified in 43 out of 196 samples (21.9%), with Escherichia coli constituting 25 out of 43 (58.1%), Shigella spp. accounting for 11 out of 43 (25.6%), and Salmonella spp. making up 7 out of 43 (16.3%). All isolated E. coli, Shigella spp., and Salmonella spp. demonstrated susceptibility to Ceftriaxone. Notably, 14 out of 25 (56%), E. coli isolates and 13 out of 25 (52%) E. coli isolates, 11 out of 11 (100%) and 10 out of 11(91%)  Shigella spp. isolates, and finally 6 out of 7 (86%) and 5 out of 7(71%) Salmonella spp.  showed resistance to Amoxicillin and Ampicillin respectively, commonly prescribed drugs for children under five years. The findings underscore the prevalence of enteric bacterial pathogens contributing to diarrhea in children under five, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions. Furthermore, the observed resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics highlights the imperative for ongoing surveillance and development of alternative treatment strategies to address the evolving landscape of antimicrobial resistance in pediatric healthcare.