Antimicrobial susceptibilities of Shigella species isolated in Ontario in 1990.

Shigellosis is a disease which is recognized as a global problem with high morbidity in developing countries. Antimicrobial resistant Shigel/a spp. have been found in many parts of the world and resistant isolates have also been reported in Canada<304>. Antimicrobial therapy of some cases of shigellosis is indicated for several clinical and epidemiologic reasons<5•6>. Physicians who· elect not to treat cases indicate that, in most instances, the disease is self-limiting and ,. ~~latively mild, that post-infection carriage doeS1J1ot extend over a ( :g period, and that the use of antibiotics incre~es the ljkelihood of -1 increase in the number of multiply-resi!;tant isolates('ll.; R-factor mediated antimicrobial resistance, well known for the, potential to spread from strain to strain, plays a major role iiJ. the development of resistance inShigel/a species<8>.