Human Salmonella and Shigella infections in Moroni, the capital of Great Comoro Island (1987-1988).

Over a period of two years 98 cultures of Salmonella and 17 cultures of Shigella were isolated at the El Maarouf Hospital, Moroni, capital of the Comoros. Almost half of the isolates were from children under 5 years. Salmonella belonged to a limited range of serotypes, S. typhi dominating in adults and S. enteritidis in children, often with bacteraemia. Antibiotic resistance was virtually absent in Salmonella and without clinical significance in Shigella. The high isolation rate of S. enteritidis and the rarity of antibiotic resistance are commented.