[High percentage of antibiotic resistance in Shigella infections in children in Curaçao].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate antimicrobial treatment and resistance in clinical childhood shigellosis.


METHODS
Retrospective.


METHODS
St. Elisabeth Hospital, Willemstad, Curaçao, Dutch Antilles.


METHODS
From September 1991 through August 1995 shigellosis was diagnosed in 93 children out of 456 hospitalised with gastroenteritis (S. flexneri in 60, S. sonnei in 32, S. dysenteriae in 1). From hospital and laboratory records, the clinical presentation, antibiotic treatment and duration of hospitalization were indexed as well as the antibacterial resistance pattern of shigellae.


RESULTS
Of the hospitalised children 52 (56%) were treated with antibiotics. Ampicillin was given most frequently (71%), followed by the combination trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (25%). Isolated shigellae were resistant to ampicillin in 52% and to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in 34%; 42% of the antibiotic treatments were in accordance with susceptibility of the isolated Shigella.


CONCLUSIONS
A high percentage of shigellae isolated on Curaçao was resistant to the most frequently used antibiotics ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
Wolfs
T F
TF
St. Elisabeth Hospitaal, afd. Kindergeneeskunde, Willemstad, Curaçao, Nederlandse Antillen.
van Woensel
J B
JB
Muskiet
F D
FD
D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000668:Ampicillin Resistance; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009427:Netherlands Antilles / Q000453:epidemiology; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012763:Shigella flexneri / Q000187:drug effects; D012764:Shigella sonnei / Q000187:drug effects; D014296:Trimethoprim Resistance; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D000667:Ampicillin; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination