Objective: Shigellosis is a major health problem in developing countries, especially in children and elderly. Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance trends is essential owing to the global change of antimicrobial resistance in such isolates. Due to the increasing trends in drug resistance, this study was aimed to monitor local resistance patterns and distribution of Shigella isolates in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.

Material and Methods: In this study, Shigella isolates collected from 2002 to 2009 were analyzed in terms of species distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility.

Results: The most common species of Shigella isolates was Shigella flexneri (48.7%), followed by Shigella dysenteriae (26%). Multidrug-resistance pattern was observed in 93 Shigella isolates (63.7%). The highest rate of resistance was detected against ampicillin (63.7%), followed by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (23.3%) and tetracycline (12.3%).

Conclusion: The data showed that resistance to commonly-used drugs was relatively low among Shigella isolates in our region. However, high rates of multidrug- resistant Shigella deserves attention. Continuous monitorization of resistance is necessary for the choice of appropriate empirical antimicrobial drugs in the therapy of suspected cases of shigellosis.