Urolithiasis: microbiological and biochemical studies of 107 cases in Benghazi, Libya

ABSTRACT

In an attempt to correlate the chemical composition of renal stones with urinary tract infections [UTI] and serum biochemical parameters, a total of 107 Libyan patients with Urolithiasis [81 males, 26 females; age 81-65 years] were studied. It was observed that of the 107 renal stones; 24 [22.4%], 1 [0.9%], 2 [1.9%], 29 [27.1%], 4 [3.7%], 19 [17.8%], 8 [7.5%], 12 [11.2%] and 8 [7.55%] were composed of calcium oxalate [S1], calcium phosphate [S2] uric acid [S3], S4 [i.e., S1+S2], S5 [i.e., S1+52+ ammonium oxalate + ammonium phosphate] and S9 [i.e., S7+S8] respectively. The preoperative urine cultures of all cases showed that Echerichia coli was the predominating organism [39.2%] followed by non-significant growth [26.2%], Enterobacter species [1.95]. The analysis of the frequency of occurrence of various types of renal stones in relation to UTI revealed that E. coli was associated with the highest occurrence of S1 [67%], S2 [100%], S3 [50%], S4 [31%], S5 [05%], and S8 [41%]. The S6, S7 and Sp were associated in high percentages with NSG [S6 37%, S7 37.5%, S9 38%]. Further assay of serum biochemical parameters [calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, sodium, potassium, creatinine and uric acid] failed to identify any significant metabolic abnormality which may predispose to renal stone formation. It is therefore hypothesized that UTI is a major factor, with E. coli the predominant infectious agent, responsible for the problem of Urolithiasis in Eastern Libyans