Isolation and identification of shigella from children in Kirkuk city and the studying some of the virulence characters invitro

Abstract

The study included the isolation and identification of Shigella species from stool and rectal swabs of children less than 13 years suffering acute and bloody diarrhea attended Azadi General and children's hospital in Kirkuk city, using cultural tests on selective and differential media, biochemical test and the results were confirmed by using API20E system and serological tests. Among (305) stool and rectal swabs samples, (3) isolates of Shigella (0.98%) isolated, (2) isolates belonged to Shigella flexneri , the other isolates belonged to Shigella sonnei. The study of some virulence characters were also performed for shigella isolates. The ability to survival under acidic condition in medium at PH 2.5 and alkaline conditions in medium at PH 9.8 , the result reveal that their survival rate varied widely, after 2-hr from (16-79%) under acidic condition and (4-22%) under alkaline conditions. Also the resistance to H 2 O 2 and bile salt were studied and the result showed little varied between Shigella isolated.