Treatment of Shigellosis with Poteseptyl (Trimethoprim + Superseptyl)

130 patients with dysenteric syndrome were treated with Poteseptyl (trimethoprim + Superseptyl), among the 70 (54%) Shigella-positive patients. 70% of the infections were caused by Shigella flexneri strains, 21% by Shigella sonnei, and 9% by Shigella schmitzi. All Shigella strains were found to be sensitive to trimethoprim + sulfonamide. Clinical course was found moderately severe in 52%, mild in 30% and severe in 18%. Severe cases occurred most frequently (in 60%) among the patients with Shigella sonnei infections. A dose of 2 × 2 tablets of Poteseptyl was given for 3 days. The Poteseptyl treatment was clinically successful in 100% and bacteriologically in 98.6%. In cases with bacteriological relapse, the resistance of Shigella strains to Poteseptyl did not increase. On the evidence of our observations, the Poteseptyl (trimethoprim + Superseptyl) treatment of Shigella infections is undoubtedly advisable.