ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE OF ENTERIC BACTERIA IS RAPIDLY INCREASING IN DEVELOPING WORLD AND CAUSES SEVERE DIFFICULTIES IN CONTROL AND TREATMENT OF BACTERIAL DIARRHEA IN THESE AREAS. CLOSE MONITORING OF DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY OF ENTERIC BACTERIA IS OF CONSIDERABLE VALUE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL TREATMENT GUIDELINES AND FOR WARNING OF NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
METHODS: DURING SUMMER 2013 AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN NUMBER OF DIARRHEAL DISEASES WAS NOTICED IN ISFAHAN PROVINCE. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM FOR DIARRHEAL DISEASES, RANDOM FAECAL SAMPLES FROM PATIENTS WERE OBTAINED AND TESTED IN LOCAL HEALTH CANTERS OF ISFAHAN PROVINCE AND 52 SAMPLES SUSPICIOUS OF SHIGELLA WERE SENT TO REFERRAL LABORATORY OF PROVINCIAL HEALTH CHANCELLERY. ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF PATHOGENS WAS DONE ACCORDING TO STANDARD BIOCHEMICAL AND SEROLOGIC TESTS AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING WAS CARRIED OUT BY DISC DIFFUSION METHOD.