Background. The spectrums of infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are manifold and are associated with worse outcomes. A study on the prevalence of these pathogens and their sensitivity patterns will give updated information which is very helpful for health personnel responsible in the management of patients and timely monitoring of the emergence of resistant bacteria. Hence, the study aimed at assessing the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and associated factors among patients with wound infection at Dessie Referral Hospital. Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 266 patients at Dessie Referral Hospital from February to May 2016. Wound swab samples were collected aseptically using Levine’s technique and transported to Dessie Regional Laboratory by using brain-heart infusion transport media. Isolation of Staphylococcus aureus was done based on cultural and biochemical profiles. Drug susceptibility test was performed using the disc diffusion technique as per the standard and interpreted based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The data were entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Result. Staphylococcus isolates from 266 processed wound swabs were 92 (34.58%). Of these, 26 (28.3%) were identified as methicillin-resistant S. aureus and 66 (71.7%) were methicillin-sensitive S. aureus. The overall prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus among the study population was 9.8%. The isolated methicillin-resistant S. aureus showed full resistance to penicillin (100%) followed by erythromycin and ciprofloxacin (16, 61.5%) and cotrimoxazole and gentamicin (14, 53.8%). From the total S. aureus isolates, 20 (21.7%) of them showed multidrug resistance. Of these methicillin-resistant S. aureus, 18 (69.8%) showed high multidrug resistance. Patients who are farmers in occupation (AOR = 6.1, 95% CI (1.086–33.724)), admitted in the hospital (AOR = 3.56, 95% CI (1.429–8.857)), and have low BMI (<18.5) (AOR = 13.89, 95% CI (4.919–39.192)) were among the risk factors significantly associated with wound infection due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Conclusion. All methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates were 100% resistant to penicillin and showed high multidrug resistance. Therefore, antibiotic susceptibility test should be performed prior to treatment.

Approach to asymptomatic bacteriuria among pregnant women in Ethiopia is mainly based on clinical grounds and urine strip and microscopy tests. On top of this, the treatment is also on an empirical basis which may leads to an increased antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility profile and associated factors of asymptomatic bacteriuria among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Adigrat Hospital, Northern Ethiopia. Out of 259 pregnant women included in the study, the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was at 55 (21.2%). Gram negative bacteria, specifically Escherichia coli were the predominant isolates followed by Klebsiella species and Proteus mirabilis. Of the Gram positive identified bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus was main isolate. Age of the mother (18–25 years old) with [AOR = 8.5, 95% CI (2.2, 32.9)], family income (< 1000 ETB) with [AOR = 7.5, 95% CI = (2.4, 23.1)] and gestational period at 1st trimester [AOR = 11.9, 95% CI (4.4, 32.4)] and 2nd trimester [AOR; 5.6, 95% CI (2.0, 15.5%)] were predictors significantly associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria. All Gram negative isolates were found 100% resistance to Ampicllin. Moreover, all Gram positive isolates were found sensitive to Vancomycin at 100%.

Background: Access to safe drinking water is one of the basic human rights and is critical to health. However, much of the world’s population lacks access to adequate and safe water. Approximately 884,000, 000 people in the world still do not get their drinking water from safe sources; Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for over one third of this number. It is estimated that 80% of all illnesses in the world are related to use of unsafe and contaminated water. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 1st 2017 to July 30th 2018 in three randomly selected woreda (districts) of Eastern Zone Tigrai. Water samples were examined for total coliforms and thermotelorant coliforms using the most probable number method. Standard biochemical testing was performed on samples that tested positive to identify the genus of bacteria. The contaminant risk of water sources were assessed using the sanitary inspection checklist of the World Health Organization. The results were interpreted using World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water quality. Data was collected using laboratory checklist and sanitary inspection check list. It was entered, cleared and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 and a variable having a P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant in all tests. Results: A total of 290 drinking water samples were analyzed for bacteriological quality. A total of 32.4% (n = 94) of water sources showed contamination with faecal and total coliforms. Of these 3.4% (n = 10) samples were contaminated with total coliforms and 29% (n = 84) contaminated with faecal coliforms. The leading water contaminant organisms were Escherichia coli (62.4%), Legionella species (8.5%), and Shigella species (7.5%) respectively. Based on WHO criteria, 15% of water sources were grouped in the very high risk group. Animal excreta and inadequate fencing of water sources were significantly associated with water contamination rate. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that most water sources in woredas of Eastern Tigrai are contaminated by faecal coliforms. Therefore, regular sanitary inspection, bacteriological analysis, and adequate fencing should be mandatory to protect drinking water sources from faecal contamination.

Objective: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most serious global public health threats that exert a significant burden in terms of patient morbidity and mortality and financial crises in many developing countries including Ethiopia. Knowledge on the type of predominantly circulating pathogens with their respective AMR profile in a given area is essential for optimal patient care. This study was aimed at assessing the types of bacterial isolates and their AMR profile identified from a range of clinical samples at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, over a period of 5 years (2013 to 2017). Results: From the total of 514 different clinical samples processed in the stated time frame, about 240 (46.7%) yield bacterial growth. Majority of the identified bacteria were isolated from stool culture 68 (28.3%) followed by urine 56 (23.3%), ear discharge 54 (22.5%) and wound swabs at 26 (10.8%). Most of the clinical isolates were Gram-negative at 171 (71.25%). The predominant isolate was S. aureus at 41 (17.1%) followed by Salmonella species, 40 (16.7%), Escherichia coli 36 (15%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 26 (11.7%). Generally, the isolates were found resistant at (60–100%) against ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, doxycycline, gentamicin, norfloxacin and tetracycline. Gram-positive isolates were found relatively sensitive to ceftriaxone, erythromycin and vancomycin at (71–84%).

Background: Food handlers play a significant role in the transmission of foodborne infections.SalmonellaandShigellaare the most common foodborne pathogens and their infections are a major public health problem globally. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and associated factors ofSalmonellaandShigellacolonization among food handlers.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to August 2018 at Adigrat University student cafeteria, Northern Ethiopia. Data on socio-demographic and associated factors were collected using a structured questionnaire. Fresh stool samples were collected from 301 food handlers and transported to Adigrat University Microbiology Laboratory. Bacterial isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility test were performed using standard bacteriological methods. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22 andP < 0.05 where a corresponding 95% confidence interval was considered statistically significant.Results: A total of 301 food handlers were included in this study. The majority of study participants were females 265 (88.0%). About 22 (7.3%) and 11 (3.7%) of food handlers were found to be positive forSalmonellaandShigellarespectively. Hand washing after using a bathroom with water only, no hand washing after using the bathroom, no hand washing after touching dirty materials, no hand washing before food handling, and untrimmed fingernails were significant associated factors identified. None of theSalmonellaandShigellaisolates were sensitive to ampicillin, yet low resistance against chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin was found.Conclusion: The present study revealed that the prevalence ofSalmonellaandShigellaamong food handlers was 22 (7.3%) and 11 (3.7%) respectively. Such colonized food handlers can contaminate food, and drinks and could serve as a source of infection to consumers. This indicates that there is a need for strengthened infection control measures to preventSalmonellaandShigellatransmission in the students’ cafeteria.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease and is a growing concern in low-income countries, including Ethiopia. Different studies have been conducted on the prevalence of HBV infection among Ethiopian regions and population segments. Therefore, this systematic review was commenced to summarize these findings, deliver representative pooled data on the prevalence of HBV infection among Ethiopian administrative regions and population segments, and identify possible factors associated with HBV infection. Electronic databases such as PubMed, African Journals Online, and Google Scholar were searched for published articles from July 9, 2019, to February 30, 2024. The data were exported to STATA version 15.1 for meta-analyses. The heterogeneity between the results of the primary studies was accessed using Cochran’s Q chi-square test and quantified with I2 statistics. A random effect model was used to pool the prevalence of HBV infection. The overall pooled prevalence of HBV infection was 6.9% (95% CI: 6.1, 7.7). Among the subgroup analyses, the highest pooled prevalence of HBV infection was obtained from Harar city 9.6% (95% CI: 5.6, 13.5), followed by South Nations and Nationalities People Regions (SNNPR) 8.5% (95% CI: 7.4, 9.7). On the other hand, the pooled prevalence of HBV infection among waste handlers was high 12.6% (95% CI: 2.4, 27.6) followed by female commercial sex workers (FCSW) 10.9% (95% CI: 7.7, 15.2) and human immune deficiency virus (HIV) positive individuals 9.9% (95% CI: 7.2, 12.8). HBV infection was significantly linked to the following factors: those with multiple sexual partners, a family history of chronic liver disease, exposure to bodily fluids, HIV seropositivity, and sharp needle injury had Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR):3.9 (95% CI: 2.62, 5.76), (AOR: 6.9 (95% CI:3.46, 10.53), (AOR:3.1 (95% CI: 2.01, 3.05), (AOR:7.7 (95% CI: 2.99, 19.93), (AOR:2.1 (95% CI: 1.58, 2.66) times a greater chance of infection, respectively. The high pooled prevalence of HBV infection in Ethiopia indicates that the burden of HBV infection continues to be a public health concern. The Ethiopian Ministry of Health should develop a strategic plan for prevention and control of HBV infection transmission including awareness creation, scale-up screening programs, diagnosis, treatment, and care services to reduce the burden of HBV infection and eliminate it as a public health threat.