[Surveillance of drug resistance in pathogenic enterobacteria in Algeria. I. Study of the resistance of major and minor Salmonella species to antibiotics in 1973-1974].

901 Salmonella strains were examined in our laboratory between October 1973 and August 1974 for their sensitivity to antibiotics. The aim of this study was, on the one hand to detect the possible emergence of drug resistance in strains of Salmonella responsible for typhoid and paratyphoid fevers; on the other hand to follow up, as closely as possible, the occurrence of drug resistance in strains of other Salmonella serotypes isolated in infant and child populations; and, in addition, to awaken practitioners to the problems inherent to the widespread use of antibiotics in these diseases. The 752 typhoid and paratyphoid bacilli strains were found to be drug sensitive with the exception of one Salmonella typhi isolate bearing a R-plasmid coding for resistance to six antibiotics. 91% of the other Salmonella serotypes strains showed resistance to 3 - 7 antibiotics including a number of the latest in use. These data are discussed and a case is made for standardization in the treatment of typhoid fever and review of the use of antibiotics against salmonelloses in infants and young children.