Isolation and antibiotic susceptibility of Shigella species from stool samples among hospitalized children in Abadan, Iran

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of Shigella species and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in hospitalized children with Shigellosis in Abadan, Iran. Background: Shigellosis is caused by different species of Shigella and one of the most common causes of diarrhea in children. This disease is endemic in many developing countries including Iran. Patients and methods: This prospective cross sectional study was conducted in a teaching hospital in Abadan, Iran during June 2011 to May 2013. Stool specimens were collected from pediatric age group. All isolates were confirmed as Shigella species by biochemical and serologic tests. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of these isolates was studied by disk diffusion Method. Results: Among all 705 stool samples, 36 (5.1%) yielded Shigella. Of cases, 392 (55.6%) were girl and 313 (44.4%) were boy. The most common Shigella isolates were S. flexneri (n=19, 52.7%) followed by S. sonnei (n=11, 30.5%), S. boydii (n=4, 11.1%) and S. dysenteriae 2(5.5%). Of the Shigella isolates, 47.2% showed resistance to two or more antimicrobial agents. Resistance pattern against various antimicrobials were as follows: trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (80.5%), ampicillin (63.8%), tetracycline (58.3%), chloramphenicol (33.3%), nalidixic acid (27.7%), and cefixime (16.6%). There was no resistance against ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone. Conclusion: The most common isolates were S. flexneri followed by S. Sonnei. There was no antibiotic resistance against ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone. TMP-SMZ showed highest resistance pattern.