Multiply-resistant Salmonella and Shigella isolates

Emerging patterns of antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella species are of serious concern in several parts of the world where enteric fever and other forms of salmonellosis are endemic. A retrospective review of clinical microbiology culture logbooks at our institution identified 16 isolates of multiply-resistant Salmonella (15) and Shigella (1) species during the period from October 1985 to February 1987. All organisms were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, using a disk diffusion technique. Clinical sources of isolation included blood, stool, and urine. The resistant Salmonella strains represented 4% of blood cultures positive for this organism during the study period. Medical records of patients from whom organisms were recovered were reviewed to determine the clinical relevance of these isolates. The emergence of multiresistant Salmonella strains has important clinical and public health implications for populations at risk.