Identification and Isolation of Salmonella Species from 400 Level Students of Microbiology Using Cultural Method

ABSTRACT
Salmonella species remain one of the leading causes of bloodstream infections globally, posing public health challenges due to their virulence and an increasing trend in antibiotic resistance. This study focuses on the identification and isolation of Salmonella species from blood samples collected from 400-level Microbiology students using cultural methods. A total of 100 blood samples were collected, processed, and analyzed for the isolation of Salmonella species using standard Microbiological Techniques. The results showed an overall prevalence rate of 25%, with a prevalence rate of 30% in male students compared to that of female students, which was 22.86%. The isolates presented typical pale, translucent, smooth, and slightly raised colonies when grown on selective medium. The antimicrobial susceptibility showed high sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (92%), linezolid (88%), and gentamicin (88%), which may be useful for treatment. On the other hand, a very high rate of resistance was found in penicillin (60%) and tetracycline (52%), which once more confirms the rising problem of antimicrobial resistance. The results highlight the need for improved antibiotic stewardship practices and regular monitoring of antimicrobial resistance to guide empirical treatment choices. This study emphasizes the importance of cultural methods in the accurate identification of Salmonella species and also provides useful data on their prevalence and patterns of antimicrobial susceptibility in a university population.