Antibiotic Resistance and the Prospects of Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Salmonellosis

Salmonella enterica serotype typhi is the aetiological agent of typhoid fever, a multisystemic disease with protean manifestations and initial lesions in the bowel. Typhoid fever still remains a major public health problem in developing countries even in the twenty first century (Lin et al., 2000; Otegbayo et al., 2003). This was also the case in America and Europe three centuries ago, until measures for sanitary disposal and supply of potable water were put in place. Unacceptable morbidity and mortality are still recorded in developing countries in spite of availability of several drugs over the years for the treatment of typhoid fever. There is enough evidence to show that the prevalence of typhoid fever in any community is an index of communal hygiene and effectiveness of sanitary disposal. In Nigeria, as in other developing countries of the world, studies have estimated over 33 million cases and 500,000 deaths due to typhoid fever per year (Institute of Medicine, 1986). Otegbayo (2005) enumerated several factors responsible for the failure of public health measures to tame the tide of the continuing rise in the incidence, prevalence, morbidity and mortality of typhoid fever.