Resumen

HERNANDEZ DE CUESTA, I.  y  GODOY, G. A.. Species of Shigella isolated in Ciudad Bolívar: Prevalence and its sensitivity to antimicrobial agents.. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2002, vol.22, n.1, pp.22-26. ISSN 1315-2556.

The isolation of 184 strains of Shigella sp, during a 7 years period, showed that 63 (34.2%) were Sh. flexnery, 62 (33.7%) Sh. boydii, 28 (15.3%) Sh. sonnei, and 20 (11%) Sh. dysenteriae. The global susceptibility test against more than 16 different antimicrobial agents, indicated that 80% of them were resistant to ampicilin, 68% to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 57% to cloramphenicol, and 10% to imipenem and ciprofloxacin. Strains of Shigella collected at random in the area and identified under controlled laboratory condition, 15 out of 25 (60%) proved to be Sh. flexneri, 25% Sh. boydii, 8% Sh. dysenteriae and 4% Sh. sonnei being resistant to ampicillin/sulbactan, tetracycline, and to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole more tan 72% of them, but a 100% susceptible to ciprofloxacin and cefixime. The frequency of Shigella species isolated at the hospital and those collected in the area, were different, as well as the susceptibility profile to antimicrobial agents tested. The demonstration of strains with moderate to height resistance level, seems to be an important fact on behalf of shigellosis epidemiological surveillance effort in the area, its prevalence and susceptibility to drugs used for treatment.

Palabras clave : Shigella; prevalencia; sensibilidad; resistencia.