Serogroup distribution of Shigella in Ile-Ife, southwest Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Shigellosis is endemic throughout the world and Shigella spp. is among the most common pathogens responsible for bacterial diarrhoeal diseases. Death attributed to shigellosis is common in developing countries, where affected populations are immunologically compromised due to poor nutrition and background infections.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the serogroup distribution of Shigella spp. recovered from clinically diagnosed cases of gastroenteritis and acute diarrhoea among children (0-5 years) in Ile-Ife, southwest Nigeria between September 2003 and September 2006.


METHODS
The isolates were identified and characterized biochemically and serologically.


RESULTS
Out of 102 Shigella isolates identified, 45 (44%) were S. flexneri, 26 (25%) were S. dysenteriae, 19 (19%) were S. boydii, 6 (6%) were S. sonnei and 6 (6%) were untypable strains.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that Shigella serogroups can be considered an important aetiological agent of acute diarrhoea and mortality among children in Ile-Ife, southwest Nigeria.
Abdulrasheed
A
Abdu
Aaron O
AO
Aboderin
Jerome B
JB
Elusiyan
D O
DO
Kolawole
Adebayo
A
Lamikanra
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012760:Shigella / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*