Drug resistant shigellosis in south India
Paniker, C.K.; Vimala, K.N.; Bhat, P.; Stephen, S.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 68: 413-417
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 744630 Document Number: 136351
A total of 100 strains of shigellae isolated during 1976-77 from different parts of south India were tested for resistance to antibacterial drugs and presence of R-factors. Multiple drug resistance was very common in Shigella dysenteriae type 1, 66.2% being resistant to ampicillin (A), chloramphenicol (C), streptomycin (S), sulfadiazine (SV) and tetracycline (T), and all resistant to 2 or more of these drugs. Drug resistance was less common in S. flexneri, though 25% of them were resistant to A, C, S, Su and T. Only few strains of S. boydii and S. sonnei were tested, but 1 out of 5 S. sonnei was resistant to A, C, S, Su and T. R-factors transferring multiple drug resistance were found in all species of shigellae except S. boydii. Resistance to streptomycin was found to be non-transferable by direct conjugation. The wide prevalence of R-factors in the Shigella strains indicates the futility of routine antibiotic treatment of bacillary dysentery and emphasizes the need for restraint in the use of oral antibiotics.