Emerging antibiotic resistance among the uropathogens

A total of 18,876 urine samples from patients of clinically suspected UTI including asymptomatic pregnant females were analysed, during the year 1997 & 1998. Culture positivity rate was found to be 37%. The incidence of Proteus was on the rise during the year 1998 especially in hospitalized patients. The antibiotic sensitivity pattern of uropathogens was also analysed to check the emergence of drug resistance. This study has revealed that withdrawal of a particular antibiotic due to high level of resistance observed during previous years, has led to re-emergence of antibiotic sensitive mutants. Further indiscriminate use of newer antibiotics like amikacin and netilimicin is responsible for emergeny of resistant variant against these antibiotics and this lays stress upon the immediate need for national antibiotic policy.