Evaluation of Selenite F broth as an enrichment step for the isolation of Salmonella and Shigella in clinical faecal specimens –A retrospective study

INTRODUCTION Salmonella and Shigella are members of the Enterobacteriaceae family and are non-lactose fermenting (NLF) Gram-negative bacilli causing gastrointestinal illness in humans and are primarily acquired through ingestion of contaminated food and water (1). Salmonella can cause enteritis or enteric fever and the severity of disease depends on the inoculating dose, serotype and predisposing host factors (1,2). Shigella causes dysentery where symptoms include fever, abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhoea and haemolytic uremic syndrome, the most serious complication of shigellosis (2).