The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiological relatedness of Shigella strains isolated from children during one year period by PFGE method and to investigate antimicrobial resistance determinants and cassettes among Shigella species.The occurrence of Shigella spp. in the present study was 1.32% during the study period and the majority of cases (56 (80%)) were occurred during autumn while Shigella sonnei was the most prevalent species identified.
In this study, characterization of those provisional serovars of Shigella was performed with respect to their antimicrobial resistance, plasmids, virulence genes and PFGE profiles.
Shigella isolates producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) or resistance to ciprofloxacin were further characterized by PFGE to determine the genetic relatedness.
Six of the isolates were identical in DNA pattern by PFGE with the seventh exhibiting a closely related pattern; both patterns were distinguishable from all other Shigella and Escherichia coli patterns.