[Shigellosis in children of the IX region of Chile: clinical and epidemiologic aspects and antibiotic sensitivity].

Ninety four children with diarrhea and a positive stool culture for Shigella, hospitalized at the Hospital Regional de Temuco, were studied. Forty six percent of patients were less than two years old. Forty two percent of microorganisms were resistant to Ampicillin, 45% to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 8% to tetracycline and none to chloramphenicol. Isolated species were Shigella flexneri 83% and Shigella sonnei 17%. Seventy nine percent of patients had fever, 60% dysentery and 21.3% seizures. Ninety two percent of symptomatic family contacts had a positive stool culture for Shigella. Due to the high incidence of resistance to ampicillin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, these antimicrobials are not recommended as the first choice treatment of Shigellosis in the Ninth region of Chile.