[Using an antibiotic sensitivity assay on urine cultures from patients attending general practice healthcare institutions in Pereira]. / Evaluación de sensibilidad antibiótica en urocultivos de pacientes en primer nivel de atención en salud de Pereira.

OBJECTIVES: Describing the bacteria most frequently isolated from and antibiotic resistance patterns in urine cultures taken from patients attending general practice healthcare institutions in Pereira as urinary tract infections are a frequent cause for primary healthcare attention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional observational study of 131,608 members of the health social security system was carried out between January 1st 2010 and April 7th 2011;the bacteria isolated from urine cultures having more than 105 colony-forming units (CFU) were assessed, as were the sensitivity and antibacterial agents' resistance results. Resistance was evaluated in line with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) parameters by means of the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion manual method with Beckton Dickinson diagnostic disks. RESULTS: 5,226 urine cultures were analysed, 1,058 of which showed uropathogengrowth. Bacterial growth was reported in 792 cultures (74.9 %), having more than 105 CFU. The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Escherichia coli (67.2 %), Klebsiella sp (19.2 %) and Enterococcus sp (7.8 %).Escherichia colishowed high sensitivity to amoxicillin / clavulanate (100 %), nitrofurantoin (94.8 %), ceftriaxone (86.3 %), ciprofloxacin (71.0 %) and high resistance to ampicillin (54.7 %), amoxicillin (50.0 %), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (43.8 %) and cephalothin (42.8 %). CONCLUSIONS: Nitrofurantoin may be the best therapeutic option in first-line management of lower urinary tract infection and ciprofloxacin for pyelonephritis due to its effectiveness and low resistance as seen in primary healthcare practice in Pereira.