Bacteriuria among Adult Non-Pregnant Women Attending Mulago Hospital Assessment Centre in Uganda

ABSTRACT

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women are a common problem in primary health care settings. Resistance of bacterial uropathogens to commonly used antibiotics is common in many places. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of UTI; associated uropathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility. Methods: A cross section study carried out at Mulago hospital outpatients' department. Midstream urine samples (MSU) were collected from 399 women; who gave informed consent and fulfilled other study criteria. Quantitative culture method; identification of uropathogens and antibiotic susceptibility testing using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique were applied to the isolates. Results: Out of 399 MSU samples; 40 pure significant bacterial growths (105 colony forming units (cfu)/ml of urine) were isolated and these included Escherichia coli; 23 (57.5); Staphylococcus aureus; 9 (22.5); Enterococci spp; 6 (15) and Klebsiella pneumoniae; 2 (5.0). Overall; sensitivities were nitrofurantoin (98.3); cefuroxime (89.3); and cotrimoxazole (20) by all uropathogens isolated. Conclusions: Culture positive UTI among adult non-pregnant women are a common problem; occurring in 10of the study population. Most bacterial uropathogens showed high sensitivity to nitrofurantoin but low sensitivity to SXT. Recommendations: Nitrofurantoin should be considered as drug of choice for empirical treatment of community acquired uncomplicated UTI in adult non-pregnant women