Urinary tract infections and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of uropathogens in a tertiary hospital in South West, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the factors implicated in morbidity among patients. Early diagnosis and treatment of UTI could be pivotal in overall treatment outcome. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of UTI, identify common isolates in UTI cases, and their in vitro sensitivity and resistance patterns to common antibiotics. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study of 181 patients with microbiological indications for UTI conducted between April 2014 and September 2015. Results: Out of 181 patients aged 20–86 years with a mean age of 51.43 ± 17.2 years, 79 (43.6%) had positive bacterial growth for uropathogens. Most common predisposing factors were urethral catheterization (32.5%), diabetes mellitus (23.7%), and urinary tract obstruction (18.7%). UTI was found to be more predominant among females (55.7%). The common isolates were Escherichia coli 30 (37.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae 27 (34.2%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 10 (12.7%), Proteus mirabilis 8 (10.1%), Enterococcus faecalis 3 (3.8%), Acinetobacter baumannii 1 (1.3%). The isolates were sensitive to nitrofurantoin and ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin while they were highly resistant to cotrimoxazole and tetracycline. Conclusions: UTI is common among patients affecting 43.6% of the participants in this study with E. coli being the most common uropathogen. ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and nitrofurantoin could therefore be recommended as the first line of drugs to clinicians for empirical treatment while awaiting sensitivity results. To prevent the emergence of resistant strains, rational use of drugs is encouraged.