EXISTING STATUS OF SHIGELLOSIS IN ANDAMAN-AND-NICOBAR ISLANDS

ii total of 691 children below five years of age, who were suffering f rom acute diarrhoea, were investigated. Conventional bacterial pathoge ns were isolated in 133 (19.2%) cases. Shigella sp. was the most commo n isolate bring positive in 72 (10.4%) faecal specimens. No isolation of Shigella sp, was observed in paediatric patients less than 6 months of age while the maximum isolations were observed among 7-12 month ol d children. All isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, gentamycin and nalidixic acid and resistant to ampicillin. Multiple d rug resistant isolates were observed during the study also. In all, 7 antibiograms were observed.