No abstract available.
Shigella sonnei* ; Shigella*

Shigella sonnei KNIH104S, which was selected by Korean National Institute of Health, expresses form I-antigen as a somatic antigen. In this study, we cloned the genes responsible for form I-antigen synthesis from S. sonnei KNIH104S. A Sau3AI-generated cosmid library of S. sonnei KNIH104S plasmids were transfected into E. coli LE392 and transfectants were tested for agglutination with antiserum against S. sonnei form I-antigen. A clone, JH222, showing the strongest agglutination activity was chosen for further analysis. A recombinant cosmid, pJH222, was isolated from the strain JH222 and retransfected into E. coli LE392. All of the transfectants agglutinated with antiserum against form I-antigen, indicating that pJH222 carried the genes required for S. sonnei form I-antigen synthesis. Restriction analysis of pJH222 revealed a 38 kb insert, which was confirmed by Southern hybridization analysis to be present on a large plasmid of S. sonnei KNIH104S.
Agglutination ; Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Cosmids ; Plasmids ; Shigella sonnei* ; Shigella*

Shigella is a common cause of bacterial enteritis worldwide. Shigella sonnei accounts for 90% of Shigella infections and Shigella flexneri is rarely reported in Korea. Although the incidence of Shigella infection has decreased, the incidence of organisms with antibiotic resistance has gradually increased in Korea. An outbreak of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing S. sonnei in children was reported in Korea; however, ESBL-producing S. flexneri has not yet been reported. We report the first two cases of multidrug-resistant CTX-M-14-producing S. flexneri infections in Korean children.
beta-Lactamases ; Child* ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Enteritis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Shigella flexneri* ; Shigella sonnei ; Shigella*

OBJECTIVETo explore the epidemic characteristics of bacterial dysentery in Jinan municipality, and to provide scientific basis for effective strategy for bacterial dysentery control.

METHODSThe epidemiological characteristics of bacillary dysentery in Jinan from 1951 to 2005 were analyzed. A total of 485,333 cases in the span of 50 years were recorded, while the population-based case distribution was less than the total cases due to the data incompleteness during the Cultural Revolution.

RESULTSThe incidence of bacillary dysentery in Jinan has been decreasing by years with average incidence rate of 283.10/100,000. The significant differences were observed among the incidence rates of various ages(chi2 = 14.99, P < 0.05). There were four epidemic peaks, and all the incidence rates were about 1000/100,000. Age of onset mainly concentrated in the 0-4 years old, 20-years old and 30-years old. In terms of occupational distribution, workers accounted for 30.31%, the living-scattered children accounted for 22.71%, and the farmers accounted for 17.90%. The incidence focus was from July to September, which accounted for 71.57%. The peak of incidence emerged in August. The highest incidence in urban was 550.94/100,000.

CONCLUSIONThrough the efforts of several generations of health workers, the incidence of bacillary dysentery in Jinan has been basically brought under control. Further step should be taken for the control of bacterial dysentery in urban areas and the management of bacterial dysentery in rural areas. Moreover, the biological characteristics of F2a should be a focus for the future study.

Antimicrobial resistance, plasmid profile, and ribotype were determined from the 49 strains of Shigella sonnei isolated from 1992 to 1994 in Korea. Four patterns of antimicrobial resistance were shown. Based on the and microbial resistance test, 49 isolates of Shigella sonnei showed resistance to at least one antimicrobial drugs. These Shigella sonnei isolates are placed into 7 different plasmid profiles. Thirty-eight strains showed pattern III and pattern IV. From endonuclease analysis, twelve (Hind III), nine (Bam HI), seventeen (Eco RI) patterns of plasmid profile were shown. To determine whether ribotyping could be used to distinguish among Shiglla sonnei isolates, Southern hybridization studies were conducted. Shigella sonnri genomic DNA fragments by digestion with Sal I and ribotyping revealed five distinct patterns of ribotype (strains with patterns I, II, III, IV, and V) after hybridization with Escherichia coli 16s and 23s rRNAs. Compared with Sal I only a single pattern of ribotype by Hinc II was found. According to these data, Shigella sonnei strains in Korea seemed to be more than five clones. However, we cannot find consistent relationship among antimicrobial resistance, plasmid profile, and ribotyping. Thus it is needed to consider antimicrobial resistance, plasmid profile, and ribotyping for the epidemiological study of Shigella sonnei in Korea.
Clone Cells ; Digestion ; DNA ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Escherichia coli ; Korea* ; Plasmids ; Ribotyping* ; Shigella sonnei* ; Shigella*

Shigella species usually produce self-limited gastrointestinal infections that rarely result in extraintestinal complications. Urirary tract infections (UTI) due to Shigella species are rare and Shigella sonnei UTI are particularly unusual. I report a case of asymptomatic UTI due to S. sonnei which was isolated from urine of a 56-year-old female complaining of fever, diarrhea and abdominal pain. S. sonnei was also isolated from stool of the patient. Shigella UTIs are reviewed.
Abdominal Pain ; Diarrhea ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Shigella sonnei* ; Shigella* ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

Shigellosis may mimic acute appendicitis clinically, but Shigella species rarely cause appendicitis. We experienced acute appendicitis with perforation caused by Shigella sonnei in a 24-year-old woman who had traveled abroad.
Appendicitis ; Dysentery, Bacillary ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrazines ; Shigella ; Shigella sonnei ; Young Adult

Shigellosis is usually restricted to the intestine, and Shigella bacteremia is extremely rare. Shigella bacteremia occurs usually in malnourished neonates. Only a small number of adult cases of Shigella bacteremia have been reported. Most patients were immunosuppressed or had underlying diseases. There have not been any reports of Shigella bacteremia in Korea since 1985. We reviewed the 8 cases reported in Korea and we report a case of Shigella sonnei bacteremia in an adult with diabetes mellitus and hypertension.
Adult* ; Bacteremia* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dysentery, Bacillary ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infant, Newborn ; Intestines ; Korea ; Shigella sonnei* ; Shigella*

PURPOSES: This study was conducted to determine the source of infection and mode of transmission of the shigellosis outbreak on March 27, 1998 at a primary school in Taegu city. METHODS: On-site interview using a standard questionnaire and rectal swab were conducted to 1,629 peoples who ate lunch on March 26 and 1,389 peoples who contacted with suspected cases. And bacteriological examination for 91 environmental materials and 25 food items were performed. RESULTS: Of the 1,629 persons who ate lunch on March 26, seventy three had culture-confirmed S. sonnei infection(first attack rate: 4.5%). And additional fifty four had shigellosis among those 1,389 persons who might be exposed to the suspected cases(second attack rate: 3.9%). A total of 730 persons who complained one of four typical symptoms or more were treated as suspected cases(first attack rate of suspected cases: 44.8%). S. sonnei was never isolated from water, foods, and other environmental materials. The median incubation period was estimated about two days. The common symptom reported were diarrhea(88.7%), fever(73.4%), abdominal pain(54.7%), and vomiting episode(38.4%) in order. The shorter duration of the outbreak and the large proportion of cases involving students who ate lunch on March 26 are consistent with fecal-oral transmission, although the limited epidemiologic data obtainable do not clearly define the route of transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Thus the outbreak reported here appear to be related to the unsanitary conditions of food facility in this school.
Daegu* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Dysentery, Bacillary ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lunch ; Shigella sonnei* ; Shigella* ; Vomiting ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: In March 1999, six children who attended a nursery school became ill with acute gastroenteritis by Shigella sonnei. The majority of the children became sick one day after sharing a snack which was served from one of the children's home. By the time the outbreak of dysentery was recognized, the rest of family members of the children became also sick. The nursery school was located in a crowded residential area. EPIDEMIOLOGIC INVESTIGATION: After active and passive surveillance was established on patients with diarrhea, 438 patients were registered. Among them, 252 patients were considered to have simple diarrhea, but the rest (186 patients) suffered from more than three consecutive diarrheas. Shigella sonnei was isolated from 75 patients. The first attack rate was estimated at 50.0%, the second, 25.6%-34.3% and the third, 13.5%. The epidemic lasted for two months spreading further from person to person in the highly populous area. The active surveillance was implemented after the occurrence of the secondary attack of dysentery among the residents, who had no obvious direct contact with people associated with the nursery school. CONCLUSION: This investigation demonstrates the need for prompt implementation of active surveillance when Shigella infection is recognized in a highly populous city.
Child ; Diarrhea ; Dysentery* ; Gastroenteritis ; Humans ; Schools, Nursery ; Shigella ; Shigella sonnei ; Snacks