[Antimicrobial resistance profiles of Shigella spp. isolated from feces samples in Hacettepe University Ihsan Dogramaci Children's Hospital between 1999-2010].

The symptoms of infections caused by Shigella spp. are diverse and may change from person to person. The choice of antibiotics as well as the prevention of the loss of fluid and electrolytes are important in the clinical recovery. The local resistance rates to antibiotics should be taken into consideration when planning empirical therapy. The aims of this retrospective study were to detect the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of 605 Shigella spp. strains isolated from feces samples of children at Hacettepe University Ihsan Dogramaci Children's Hospital between 1999 and 2010 and to compare the resistance rates by years. Susceptibility to ampicillin, cefotaxime, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (T/S), nalidixic acid, and ciprofloxacin were determined in Mueller-Hinton Agar by disk diffusion method according to CLSI criteria. Among a total of 605 Shigella strains, 526 were identified as S.sonnei, 69 as S.flexneri, nine as S.boydii and one as S.dysenteriae. Resistance rates to ampicillin, cefotaxime, T/S and nalidixic acid were 24.3%, 3.6% 74.2% and 4.6%, respectively. All of the isolates were found susceptible to ciprofloxacin. Antibiotic resistance rates of the isolates did not exhibit any differences between the years. S.dysenteriae was isolated once in 2003 throughout this 12 year survey and the isolate was found susceptible to T/S and ciprofloxacin. A significant yearly decrease was detected in the number of stool cultures and number of Shigella spp. isolated in stool (p< 0.001). Ampicillin resistance was higher in S.flexneri (77.8%) and S.boydii (62.5%) than S.sonnei (17%). However, T/S resistance was higher in S.sonnei (78.9%) than S.flexneri (52.5%) and S.boydii (11.1%). In conclusion, continuous surveillance of resistance among Shigella species in Turkey seems to be imperative for establishing empirical treatment guidelines in our country.