Childhood shigellosis in Saudi Arabia

In this study 234 children with shigellosis were evaluated during a 6-year period. The ages ranged from 2 days to 13 years (mean, 3.4 years). Sixty percent of the children were in the 1− to 4-year age group. One hundred four children were hospitalized and 130 were outpatients. Most cases of shigellosis presented during the months of April-May and September-November. Shigella flexneri accounted for 44% and Shigella sonnei for 43% of the isolates. Susceptibility testing showed that 54% were resist-