A Clinical Study of Shigellosis Epidemics over 10 Years in the Kyung Nam Area

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The occurrence of shigellosis patients has increased radically in 2 recent years. For this, the authors investigated the epidemic aspect of shigellosis by regional groups to know whether the epidemic aspect of shigellosis is a general situation which occurs identically in various areas of Kyung Nam. METHODS: We reviewed pediatric patients who were hospitalized in Ulsan(eastern), in Masan(cen tral), in Chinju(western) of Kyung Nam from January, 1988 to April, 1999. RESULTS: A total of 54 cases of shigellosis were noted from Ulsan(12), Masan(21) and Chinju(21) over ten years. The number of patients was 1 each in 1991 and 1993, 5 each in 1998 and 1999 at Ulasan, 9 in 1988, 8 between 1990 and 1995, 3 in 1998, 1 in 1999 at Masan, 1 each in 1990, 1991, 1994, 4 in 1998, 14 in 1999 at Chinju. The shigellosis patients increased from 1998, especially in Chinju. S. flexneri was reported in Masan(AMP)(R)5, AMP+TMP/SMX(R)4) before 1990, in Masan (2) between 1990 and 1995 and in Chinju(AMP(R)7, AMP+MP/SMX(R)1) in 1999. S. sonnei was reported in Ulsan(AMP(R)1, TMP/SMX(R)1), in Masan(6) and in Chinju(AMP(R)2, TMP/SMX(R) 1) between 1990 and 1995 and in Ulsan(TMP/SMX(R)9, AMP+TMP/SMX(S)1), in Masan(TMP/ SMX(R)2, AMP+TMP/SMX(R)1+(S)1) and in Chinju(TMP/SMX(R)6) between 1998 and 1999. CONCLUSION: Independent of the past, shigellosis patients occurred by regional groups in three parts of Kyung Nam. The present epidemic aspect of the eastern area is similar to that of the central area, but is partially similar to that of western Kyung Nam.