SURVEY OF SHIGELLOSIS IN SHARKIA PROVINCE

104SUMMARYThis work was done to determine the incidence of Shigella dysenteryamong the child and adult populations in Sharkia Province, as well as toperform biochemical and serological studies on the isolated Shigellae. Thematerial of study consisted of 100 patients with a primary complaint ofdiarrhoea taken from the Zagazig University Hospital during the months ofJune, July and August, 1989. The patients were divided into 2 age groups,school children below the age of 10 (group I: 40 patients) and the workingpopulation over the age of 18 (group 2: 60 patients). Within each group,patients were taken at random. group 1 included 23 males and 17 females,while group 2 included 42 males and 18 females.Sixty patients presenting at the same clinic but not suffering from anygastro intestinal disorder were taken as controls without any age consideration(group 3). There were 30 males and 30 females. All cases including thecontrols were investigated for shigellosis by stool culture on dried plates ofMacConkey’s agar, deoxycholate citrate agar (DCA) and into 10 ml. of selenitebroth then after 24 hours subculture on MacConkey’s agar. Non-lactosefermenting colonies were selected for biochemical reactions by API 20 E.