[ trend of antibiotic resistance in shigellosis and the diagnostic value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate for its differentiation from viral gastroenteritides in aliasghar children hospital, Tehran [1996-2006]]

As a common infectious disease in childhood, shigellosis has a variety of seasonal and microbiologic patterns and there is a concerning trend of resistance in various parts of the world and even a single country. Inappropriate empiric therapy for any acute episode of gastroenteritis, which might be based on lab studies, could potentially lead to even further resistance. In this report, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was studied in patients with acute gastroenteritis. Medical records of 117 patients were reviewed in this study. The mean and standard deviation of some of the acute phase inflammatory indicators were compared in two groups of shigellosis and viral gastroenteritides using independent samples t test. The mean age of the patients was 49 months, and almost half of them were male. Shigella sonnei was the commonest species isolated from these patients. Shigellosis was found to be more frequent during August to October. After 2001, resistance to ampicillin and cotrimoxazole was observed in 75% and 90% of isolates respectively. A few cases were resistant to third generation of cephalosporins [<3%]. In shigellosis, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was significantly higher than viral gastroenteritis. Empiric use of cotrimoxazole is no longer recommended in children suspicious of contracting shigellosis in Tehran. To avoid unnecessary prescription of antibiotics for acute gastroenteritis, a normal result of erythrocyte sedimentation rate might be helpful

Prevalence of antibody to Brucella species in butchers, slaughterers and others

Brucellosis is being reported with increasing frequency in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Serum antibodies in high-risk and general populations help to define cut-off levels and can be used as a simple and rapid diagnostic tests in infected areas. We performed the rose Bengal test [RBT], serum agglutination test [SAT] and 2-mercaptoethanol [2ME] titre determination on 415 healthy individuals including butchers, slaughterers and others. Positive results were found by RBT, SAT titre [1:80] and 2ME titre >/= 1:20 in slaughterers [10%, 20% and 6% respectively], butchers [6%, 4% and 1% respectively] and the general population [1%, 2% and < 1% respectively]. A single SAT titre >/= 1:80 in the presence of 2ME titre >/= 1:20 can be diagnostic in this region