[Shigellosis in Tucumán].

Abstract

In 731 diarrhea cases studied from January 1971 to June 1973 in Tucumán a significant increase of shigellosis in eutrophic children was observed. The frequency of Shigella isolations, considering all the enteropathogens found, were: 15,5 %; 13 % and 21,3 % in 1971, 1972 and 1973, respectively (Table 1). All the strains of Shigella isolated belonged to the Shigella flexneri B or Shigella sonnei D groups, being the percentage for the former 78 % in 1971; 93 % in 1972 and 77 % in 1973 (Table 2). The age distribution of patients with shigellosis is shown in Table 3, the 87,7 % occurring within the first 3 years of life. S. flexneri B and S. sonnei D strains showed similar sensitivity to nalidixic acid, cephalosporines, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim plus sulfametoxazol; S. flexneri B was more susceptible to rifampicin, although this antibiotic was not used for therapeutics. A different sensitivity to kanamicin was observed being S. flexneri B, less susceptible than S. sonnei D, (Table 4). Fifty five percent of the cases showed clinical improvement after 48 h. of starting antibiotic treatment; 80 % after 72 h. and only 20 % required 96 or more for significant recovery. Although the number of patients with some degree of malnutrition was small, 7 out of the 8 cases studied required 72 h. or more for recovery.