Changes in incidence of shigella subgroups and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern in Vellore, South India

Investigations were carried out on faecal samples of cases of diarrhoea presenting at a hospital in Vellore, South India, over a period of 1 year. Pathogens were identified and tested for susceptibility to a number of antibiotics. Blood cultures were carried out where septicaemia was suspected. It was found that the relative frequencies of the shigella subgroups have changed since previous reports. The paper reports changing resistance patterns of shigellae to antibiotics and the existence of a number of multiple drug resistant strains. The authors recommend constant surveillance of resistance patterns so that effective therapy can be given in emergency conditions.