Bacterial Profile of Urinary Tract Infection and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern Among Patients Attending at Bushra Medical Laboratory, Tripoli, Libya

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common infection that affects the urinary tract, particularly in women, children and elderly, and it doesn’t always cause classic signs and symptoms. Excessive utilization of antibiotics led to increased incidence of antibiotic resistance among uropathogens worldwide. AIM: To identify the causative bacteria of UTI and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern among patients attended to Bushra Medical laboratory, Tripoli, Libya.

METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in Tripoli city, on 1423 urine specimens from untreated patients with clinical symptoms of UTIs. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were done on 291 specimens which their colony count ≥ 105 colony forming units (cfu)/mL, using DL-96II (Auto microbial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing system).

RESULTS: The prevalence of significant bacteriuria was 20.4% (291/1423), among them 81.4% (237/291) were females and 18.6% (54/291) were males. Just 0.7% (2/291) cases of isolated bacteria were gram positive cocci represented in Staphylococcus aureus, that exhibited hugely resistance to Penicillin (100%) and susceptible to many tested antimicrobial agents, while 99.3% (289/291) were gram negative bacilli represented in Klebsiella pneumonia 43.6% (127/291); Escherichia coli 33% (96/291); Klebsiella ozaenae 10.7% (31/291); Proteus mirabilis 9.3% (27/291); Pseudomonas mendocina 1.7% (5/291) and Pseudomonas alcaligenes 1% (3/291). Considering the results of this study, Klebsiella pneumonia isolates were the predominant pathogens in UTI. Except for Pseudomonas isolates, our data demonstrated that gram negative isolates were susceptible to Cefoperazone/Sulbactam followed by Ceftazidime then Levofloxacin (3.9%, 4.9% and 6% resistance, respectively), while Pseudomonas isolates were extremely sensitive to Amikacin, Piperacillin and Norfloxacin.

CONCLUSION: Because of highly resistant bacteria to antibiotics, physicians must prescribe appropriate antibiotics depending on antibiotics susceptibility results. Otherwise, routine monitoring of antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens must be accomplished to guide the treatment of UTIs in the country.