Species Distribution and Susceptibility to Antimicrobials Among Clinical Isolates of Shigella Species

Shigellosis is a significant health problem both in the developing and developed countries. Shigella spp. are the most common agents of diarrhoea in children. The objective of the study was to determine the species and serotype composition of Shigella strains, the frequency of their isolation and in vitro susceptibility to six antimicrobial agents used in the contemporary treatment of shigellosis. The objects of the study were 93 Shigella strains, isolated from faecal samples of patients with diarrhoea treated in the University Hospital – Pleven for the period January 2002 – December 2006. The biochemical and serological identification of Shigella spp. strains was performed by conventional routine methods. In vitro susceptibility to antimicrobials of Shigella spp. strains was tested by a disk diffusion method according to the CLSI (2005).