Microbiological and epidemiological aspects of bacterial enteric infections in northern Israel
Shmilovitz, M.; Kretzer, B.; Rottman, N.; Novic, B.; Blau, D.
Harefuah 113(3-4): 58-62
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0017-7768 PMID: 3692358 Document Number: 289816
This survey deals with 223,456 stool cultures from 201,111 patients in northern Israel who were suspected of having acute enteric infections during the 6-year period April 1980 to March 1986. In all, there were 20,798 (10.3%) patients infected by Shigella, 7,023 (3.5%) by Campylobacter jejuni/coli, 5,370 (2.7%) by Salmonella, 227 (0.11%) by enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, 143 (0.07%) by enteropathogen E. coli and only six (0.003%) by Yersinia enterocolitica. Of 20,798 cases of shigellosis, in 15,713 (76.6%) S. sonnei was isolated, in 3,306 (15.9%) S. flexneri in 1,433 (6.8%) S. boydii and in the remaining 356 (1.7%), S. dysenteriae. In each one of the last three groups, 2-3 serotypes represented about 80% of the isolates. Among the 5,370 patients in whom Salmonella was found, 93 serotypes were identified, of which 12 were subgenus III-Arizona. Nine of the serotypes were the most frequent isolated and represented 69% of all isolates of Salmonella. Results of serotyping Campylobacter isolates from 1,685 patients and of biotyping isolates from another 1,529 patients are detailed. Testing of susceptibility to antibacterial drugs in common use indicated a significant and progressive increase in the resistance of Shigella to most of the drugs, in contrast to Salmonella. Uncommon biochemical characteristics, such as lack of beta-galactosidase in S. sonnei and lack of lysine-decarboxylase in Salmonella, are presented.