Cefotaximase and AmpC-producing Shigella flexneri in case of dysentery from southern India

S Oommen1, P M Sivan Pillai, S Sushamabai

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Tiruvalla, Kerala, India.

Insights

Multidrug-resistant Shigella flexneri, a cause of dysentery, is a growing concern. Researchers identified a rare CTX-M type and AmpC-producing strain in India, highlighting treatment challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Shigella species cause significant public health issues like diarrhoea and dysentery.
  • Multidrug resistance (MDR) in Shigella complicates treatment, with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) being a major concern.

Observation:

  • Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) are known in Shigella, typically of the sulfhydryl variable (SHV)-type.
  • CTX-M type ESBLs are rarely detected in Shigella infections.

Findings:

  • This study reports a rare case of CTX-M type and AmpC-producing Shigella flexneri.
  • The isolate was identified in a three-year-old boy from Central Kerala, South India.

Implications:

  • The emergence of CTX-M and AmpC in Shigella flexneri poses a significant threat to effective shigellosis treatment.
  • This finding underscores the need for continuous surveillance of antimicrobial resistance patterns in pathogens like Shigella.