ABSTRACT
Multidrug resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli constitute a problem in many hospitals. The antibiotic susceptibility profile and the Production of Extended Spetrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) of the strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were assessed by the Kirby-Bauer technique and the modified disc diffusion technique respectively. Out of a total of 65 urinary specimens submitted to the Medical Microbiology laboratory at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital; Shika-Zaria; Nigeria; 50 isolates consisting of 33 (66) Escherichia coli and 17 (34) strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae were recovered from patients suspected to have Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). Of these 50 isolates; 15(30) were ESBL producers; made up of 6/17 (35.3) ESBL-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and 9/33 (27.3) ESBL-positive E. coli isolates. The susceptibility of the ESBL-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ciprofloxacin; ofloxacin and amikacin were 64.7; 82.4 and 82.4 respectively; while the susceptibility of the ESBL-positive E. coli isolates were: ciprofloxacin (57.6); ofloxacin (48.5) and amikacin (84.8). All (100) of the ESBL-positive E. coli isolates and 3/6 (50) of the ESBL-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates had Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index of greater than 0.3 which is an indication that they originated from an environment where antibiotics are frequently used. It is important to determine the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of ESBL-producing clinical isolates as a guide to clinicians for the chemotherapy and there should be effective infection control policies to curb their spread in the hospital setting