Background:An alarming increase in infections due to penicillin non-susceptible pneumococci (PNSP) has been documented in nearly all countries. Increasingly, PNSP are also resistant to other antibiotics, and a growing number of clinical failures following the use of these agents have been reported.Aims:To determine the resistance pattern of pneumococcal isolates from patients with invasive pneumococcal infection in North West Nigeria.Materials and Methods:In a cross-sectional study clinical specimens were obtained from patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP), meningitis and bacteraemia over a 2 year period. Pneumococcus strains were identified. Isolates were tested against a panel of antibiotics using E-test strips, and interpreted according to the CLSI criteria. 0.06 μg/ml was used as break point for penicillin. Analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics; relationships determined using chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests, with P < 0.05 regarded as significant.Results:Total number of isolates was 132. Twenty-two (16.7%) of the isolates were fully sensitive to penicillin while 73 (55.3%) and 37 (28.0%) were intermediately and fully resistant, respectively. One hundred and twenty-seven (96.2%) of the isolates were fully resistant to trimethoprim–sulphamethoxazole. Eleven (8.5%) were fully resistant to amoxicillin and 104 (78.8%) and 17 (12.9%) were intermediately resistant and fully susceptible. One hundred and six (80.3%) of the isolates were fully susceptible to chloramphenicol. Resistance to penicillin was shown to infer resistance to other antibiotics.Conclusions:Pneumococcal resistance is common in North West Nigeria. Ceftriaxone retains excellent activity against most of the invasive isolate, while trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole is almost uniformly resistant.

Gram-negative bacilli are a major cause of pneumonia in patients with PTB on treatment.

Rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a public health concern in many countries including Nigeria. There is an increase of multidrug resistant tuberculosis which results to morbidity and mortality among presumptive tuberculosis patients. Data regarding Rifampicin resistant tuberculosis in the study area are lacking. A one year prospective, cross-sectional, laboratory based study was carried out among patients attending Direct Observed Treatment Short course in Damaturu, Gashua and potiskum specialist hospitals, Yobe State, Nigeria; from January, 2020 to December, 2020. Sputum samples were collected from consented / assented participants and analyzed using MTB/RIF assay (Cepheid, GeneXpert USA). The data were analyzed using Person Chi-Square and p≤0.05 considered the presence of significant relationship and results were presented in tables and charts. Out of 400 studied participants, males had a prevalence of 2.5% (10/400) while females had 0.8% (3/400). Age group 30-39 years had the highest prevalence of 1.5%. The results show significant relationship between age, gender, and marital status, in the study area. This study confirmed the presence of Rifampicin resistant tuberculosis in the study area. Therefore, there’s need to have a public health awareness and strengthen the laboratory capacity for diagnosis and make the services available and accessible to the patients who need them.

There is a need to strengthen the laboratory capacity for the diagnosis of TB and drug resistance testing and make these services available, affordable, and accessible to the patients who need them.