Serotype distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of Shigellae isolated from diarrhoeal patients in Yangon, Myanmar.

In Myanmar there is a changing pattern in the prevalence of Shigella strains with an increasing antimicrobial resistance, and, thus the serotype prevalence and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of Shigellae were studied in 1993. Dysenteric stool samples were collected from the laboratory of Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yangon during January-June 1993. The Shigella isolates were identified by the standard bacteriologic procedures. Four hundred and sixty stool samples containing blood and mucous were collected in this study, and Shigella spp. were isolated from the 108 (23.5%) samples. The increasing antimicrobial resistance of shigellosis from 1980 to 1993 in this community was also discussed.