Plesiomonas shigelloides in stool samples of patients in the Venda Region: Possible considerations on pathogenicity and antibiogram profiles

This study determined the haemolytic, haemagglutinating and antibiotic susceptibility activities of Plesiomonas shigelloides isolated from stool samples of patients attending different health centers in the Venda region of South Africa. P.shigelloides was isolated and identified using the API 20E, API 20NE systems. Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the isolates were determined using the disc diffusion method and analyzed according to NCCLS standards. The hemolytic and hemagglutination activities of the isolates on human, sheep, pig and chicken red blood cells were determined using the plate and slide methods. A total of 89 (13%) P. shigelloide were isolated from 660 samples. The hemolytic activities of the isolates were variable with no heamolysis on sheep red cells. 33 (37%) of isolates were beta lactamase producers. There was a high level of resistance to the penicilllins with 100% resistance to Penicillin G, Amoxicillin and Ampicillin. This study has demonstrated multiple resistance to different antibiotics and production of beta lactamase. Most of the isolates showed evidence of pathogenicity as demonstrated by hemolytic and haemagglutinating activities.