An estimated 1 in 10 children in Ethiopia are infected with Salmonella or Shigella at any given time, most likely with a multidrug-resistant (MDR) strain, researchers reported last week in BMC Infectious Diseases.
In a systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers at Ethiopia's Wollo University examined 21 studies conducted from 2010 to 2024 in different regions of Ethiopia to estimate the pooled prevalence of Salmonella and Shigella species in Ethiopian children. Salmonella and Shigella are major enteric pathogens that cause significant diarrheal mortality in children under 5. The studies involved 5,318 participants and 593 reported bacterial isolates, of which 309 were Salmonella and 284 were Shigella species.
More than 80% of isolates identified as MDR
The overall pooled prevalence of Salmonella and Shigella was 10.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.96% to 12.45%), ranging from 3.8% to 17.4%, with a significant level of heterogeneity detected among studies. The overall pooled prevalence of MDR Salmonella and Shigella isolates was 81.03% (95% CI, 77.39% to 84.67%).
The study authors say the emergence of MDR strains of Salmonella and Shigella represent a threat not only to the pediatric population in Ethiopia but also to hospital settings and the general population in the country.
"These results highlight the critical challenge posed by MDR strains of both pathogens, emphasizing the need for effective surveillance, more robust treatment strategies, and targeted public health interventions to combat the rising threat of antibiotic resistance in these common infectious agents," the study authors wrote.