Surveillance of acute community acquired urinary tract bacterial infections

ObjectiveTo record the antibiotic resistance of community acquired uropathogens over a period of 24 months (May 2011–April 2012).MethodsUrine samples from patients of outpatient department (OPD) were used for isolating urinary tract infection (UTI)-causing bacteria that were cultured on suitable selective media and identified by biochemical tests. Their antibiograms were ascertained by Kirby–Bauer's disc diffusion method, using 17 antibiotics of 5 different classes.ResultsFrom 2 137 urine samples 1 332 strains of pathogenic bacteria belonging to 11 species were isolated. Two Gram-positives, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis and nine Gram-negatives, Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter sp., Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated. Both Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis were vancomycin resistant, and resistant-strains of all pathogens increased in each 6-month period of study. Particularly, all Gram-negatives were resistant to nitrofurantoin and co-trimoxazole, the most preferred antibiotics of empiric therapy for UTI, but were moderately resistant to gentamicin, ampicillin, amoxyclav, ofloxacin and gatifloxacin. Most Gram-negatives produced extended spectrum β-lactamase.ConclusionsIt was concluded that periodic surveillance of pathogens is an essential corollary in effective health management in any country, as empiric therapy is a common/essential practice in effective clinical management.