ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Determine the prevalence of asymptomatic urinary tract infection (AUTI) among pregnant women. We also determined the antibacterial susceptibility of the isolates to various antibiotics and associated risk factors in AUTI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One thousand five hundred and five consecutive pregnant women were included in the study. Mid-stream urine specimen for complete examination of urine was obtained. RESULTS: Of 1505 pregnant women, 134 (8.9 percent) had bacteriuria. The mean age of the all the pregnant women included in the study was 28.40 years with a standard deviation of 6.16. Age ranged from 15 to 45 years of age. The urine culture of the asymptomatic pregnant women (1505 cases) showed growth in only 134 cases (8.9 percent). Escherichia coli was the commonest organism 79 (58.96 percent) followed by CN Staphylococcus 22 (16.8 percent) and S aureus 18 (13.43 percent). Escherichia coli, which comprised 58.96 percent (79) of the isolates, were 88.62 percent, 87.35 percent, and 83.55 percent sensitive to cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin and cefotizoxime respectively. Similarly, E. coli were 89 percent, 70 percent, and 20 percent resistant to ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, and nitrofurantoin respectively (OR 1.57 95 percent CI 1.01, 2.44). After analyzing, four variables, hemoglobin levels seem to be independently associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria (OR = 9.41 (1.65-50.38). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria among pregnant women was 8.9 percent. The predominant organisms were Escherichia coli 79 (58.96 percent), followed by CN Staphylococcus 22 (16.8 percent). Most strains of Escherichia coli showed that they were resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline and gentamicin.