Phage typing and drug resistance ofShigella sonneiisolated in England and Wales

Abstract
SUMMARY: Phage typing ofShigella sonneihas been used to examine isolates from the 1991–2 sonnei dysentery outbreak in England and Wales and compare them with strains isolated during and following a widespread foodborne outbreak in 1994 which was associated with consumption of imported lettuce. The distribution of phage types was different in the three periods studied with PT 3 predominating during 1991–2, PT 2 during the ‘lettuce’ outbreak in the summer months and PT 6 during the subsequent months. PT 6 was frequently associated with travel outside the UK. Variation was also seen in the distribution of drug resistance patterns.