Stool samples were routinely cultured on MacConkey agar, xylose lysine deoxycholate agar, and Hektoen agar (Oxoid Ltd, Basingstoke, UK). Stool samples were also inoculated into selenite F broth (Oxoid Ltd, Basingstoke, UK). Blood samples were collected in blood culture bottles and incubated in the BD BACTEC™ blood culture system (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, USA). A blood culture sample flagged as positive by the system was inoculated on blood agar, chocolate agar, and MacConkey agar. Identification of microbes from urine samples was performed by plating the sample onto MacConkey agar and cystine lactose electrolyte deficient (CLED) agar (Oxoid Ltd, Basingstoke, UK). Samples, other than stool or blood, e.g. urine, abdominal abscess, and surgical wound swabs, were cultivated as per standard operating procedures followed at the microbiology laboratory at KFHU.
Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of all bacterial isolates was performed by the Vitek2 automated card system (bioMérieux Vitek Inc., Hazelwood, MO, USA). When required, an antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed manually using the disc diffusion method following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.20
Salmonella serogrouping was performed using the BD Salmonella antisera (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, USA).
Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of all bacterial isolates was performed by the Vitek2 automated card system (bioMérieux Vitek Inc., Hazelwood, MO, USA). When required, an antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed manually using the disc diffusion method following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.20
Salmonella serogrouping was performed using the BD Salmonella antisera (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, USA).