FOURTH QUARTER 1965 Fifty-two reporting centers are now participating in the Shigella Surveillance Program. These include 49 states as well as New York City, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. Subsequent surveillance reports will include all 50 states as California is now a participant. A total of 2,429 human shigella isolations were reported from the 52 reporting centers during the fourth quarter of 1965. This represents an 8.1 per cent increase over the 2,248 isolations reported during the third quarter of 1965 (same reporting centers), which was an increase of 48.4 per cent over the 1,515 isolations reported during the second quarter (49 reporting centers). During October, November, and December, 66.7 per cent of shigella isolations were reported from children under 10 years of age, as compared with 69.5 per cent during the third quarter of 1965. No sex predilection for shigella was apparent during the fourth quarter of this year. A slight female predominance was reported during the previous quarter. As in the past, a predominance of males among the less than 5-year age groups was observed. The most frequently isolated serotypes during the fourth quarter continue to be Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri 2a. Regional differences continue to follow the same pattern (see Figure 1 and Table I).

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection