Shigella Antimicrobial Drug Resistance Mechanisms, 2004-2014

Abstract

To determine antimicrobial drug resistance mechanisms of Shigella spp., we analyzed 344 isolates collected in Switzerland during 2004-2014. Overall, 78.5% of isolates were multidrug resistant; 10.5% were ciprofloxacin resistant; and 2% harbored mph(A), a plasmid-mediated gene that confers reduced susceptibility to azithromycin, a last-resort antimicrobial agent for shigellosis.

Keywords: Shigella; antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial treatment; azithromycin; bacteria; cephalosporins; ciprofloxacin; multidrug resistance; resistance genes.