Neonatal Shigellosis

SHIGELLOSIS rarely affects infants during the first month of life.1-5Even in highly endemic areas neonatal shigellosis is exceedingly uncommon.3,5This is puzzling since newborn infants are susceptible to other enteric infections, notably enteropathogenic strains ofEscherichia coli and Salmonellaspecies. The world's literature contains reports6-12of only eight bacteriologically confirmed cases of neonatal shigellosis (onset of disease before 28 days of life). As a consequence, little is known about the clinical manifestations and epidemiologic implications of shigellosis in this age group. This paper summarizes the eight previously reported cases and the 16 cases seen at Children's Medical Center and Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. Four cases, which developed while the infants were in the nursery, are presented in detail. Two of these infants died of peritonitis following intestinal perforation. Four Cases With Onset in the Hospital Nursery Case1.—A 2,268-gm (5 lb) Negro girl was born