The antimicrobial resistance patterns and plasmid profile analyses for 30 Shigella spp. isolated in Cordoba, Argentina, were determined. Most strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics, particularly traditional agents such as ampicillin, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim. All isolates harboured at least one plasmid (range 1–12), the plasmid profiles differing in every case. Nineteen strains transferred all or some of their resistance determinants by conjugation.