Abstract
Hospital acquired infections related to microbes are serious problems because human lives are at risk if infected. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence and susceptibility of Shigella and Salmonella species on nurses’ tables and patients’ beds at Sokoto Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. The bacterial species were isolated and identified using standard phenotypic and molecular methods. A total of 100 swab samples were collected from nurses’ tables and patients’ beds using cotton swabs in four wards. From the results obtained, four bacterial species belonging to two genera were recorded; Shigella flexneri (21), Shigella dysenteriae (4), Salmonella paratyphi (11) and Salmonella choleraesuis (13). Based on wards, the infectious ward had the highest number of isolates (22%), Balaraba (11%), Sardauna (10%) and women’s amenities ward had the lowest (6%). Commercially formulated antibiotics profile on all the isolates, Ofloxacin was found to be susceptible to Shigella flexneri (15) with highest zone of inhibition, Shigella dysenteriae and Salmonella choleraesuis each with (8) and no zone of inhibition demonstrated in Cefuroxime on the isolates. Antibiotic plates prepared in the laboratory show bacterial species sensitive to three antibiotics; Ciprofloxacine, Oflaxacine and Ampicillin. All the three drugs were bactericidal against all the bacterial isolates, except Ciprofloxacin which was bactericidal against Salmonella paratyphi. Sokoto Specialist Hospital should improve hygiene through proper hygiene to reduce the burden of isolated nosocomial infections as Salmonella and Shigella are known to cause shigellosis and salmonellosis diseases in humans. This will protect public health by reducing hospital-acquired infections.

Key words: Hospital, Shigella, Salmonella, Antibiotics, Prevalence, Beds, Tables