Detection of Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae from Clinical Samples and their Susceptibility to Conventional Antibiotics and Medicinal Plant Extracts

Carbapenamases are enzymes that renders inactive, the carbapenems antibiotics which are often considered as the last treatment option for all serious infections. Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) has already been identified all over the world. In Kano and other part of Northern Nigeria, there are several reports that CPE is in circulation at a rate researchers have never imagined and is rapidly spreading to far rural communities. This study aims to detect Carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae from clinical sample and determine their susceptibility to conventional antibiotics and Ficus ovata and Guiera senegalensis plant extracts. Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were collected from Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, reconfirmed and screened for Carbapenemase production using the Modified Hodges Test. The highest occurrence of carbapenemase was observed in E. coli (14.3%), while the least was observed in K. pneumoniae 3(12%) and P. aeruginosa 2(6.7%). Ficus ovata and Guiera senegalensis Plants were extracted using ethanol, N-butanol and N-hexane as separate solvents. Of all the three plants extracts, highest yield was observed in N-Butanol extracts having 32.7% in Ficus ovata. Susceptibility test using antibiotics revealed a decreased sensitivity of the test isolates to some commonly used antibiotics; Cefotaxime (25μg), Cefixime (5μg), Levofloxacin (5μg), Amoxicillin (30μg) and Cefuroxime (30μg). Agar well diffusion test was employed at a concentration of 20, 10 and 5mg/ml. All the six extracts were observed to have the highest activity against P. aeruginosa with Guiera senegalensis having more inhibitory activity. This demonstrates the extracts potentials for extraction of chemotherapeutic agents