OCCURRENCE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ANTIBIOTICS OF SHIGELLA SPECIES IN STOOLS OF HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN WITH BLOODY DIARRHEA IN PAKISTAN

The aim of the present investigation was to study the frequency of Shi gella spp, in patients with bloody diarrhea in Pakistan and the suscep tibility of isolated Shigella to three antibiotics: ampicillin, cotrim oxazole and nalidixic acid. In addition, the frequency of Campylobacte r and Salmonella was also determined. Stool samples (n = 152) were col lected from 152 diarrheic children less than six years of age passing blood and mucus in their stools who were admitted to Paediatric Depart ment of Mayo Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan from June to September 1990. The samples were cultivated on standard media for Shigella, Campyloba cter, and Salmonella. Susceptibility of Shigella isolates was tested b y disk diffusion method. The frequency of isolation was 19.1% for Shig ella spp., 7.9% for Campylobacter, and 4.6% for Salmonella. Shigella f lexneri (7.9%) was the most frequently isolated species, followed by S . dysenteriae (6.6%), S. boydii, (3.3%) and S. sonnei (1.3%). All Shig ella isolates were susceptible to nalidixic acid (100%), while only a few were susceptible to cotrimoxazole (7.0%) and ampicillin (3.5%). In Pakistan, self-medication and purchases of drugs without a prescripti on are commonly practiced. Thus, there is a greater possibility of dev elopment of resistant strains due to over use of antibiotics.