[Uropathogens and antimicrobial susceptibility in outpatients]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Context:

• Urinary bladder infections represented 2.7% of diagnosed conditions in Croatian primary care in 2003.
• A study of 815 outpatient urine samples revealed a 27.4% diagnosis rate for urinary system infections.
• Prevalence was higher in females (32.8%) than males (20.1%).

Purpose:

• To analyze the prevalence and etiological agents of urinary system infections in primary care.
• To evaluate the efficacy of sulphametoxazole-trimethoprim against common pathogens.
• To emphasize the diagnostic and economic benefits of urine cultures and accessible treatment guidelines.

Summary:

• Escherichia coli (67.3%) and Enterococcus spp. (12.6%) were the primary causative agents identified.
• Sulphametoxazole-trimethoprim demonstrated high efficacy (94.3%) against E. coli isolates.
• Urine cultures are vital for accurate diagnosis, cost-effective treatment, and combating antibiotic resistance.

Impact:

• Highlights the overdiagnosis of cystitis compared to confirmed cases.
• Advocates for increased accessibility of urine culture diagnostics in primary healthcare.
• Stresses the need for online guidelines to ensure state-of-the-art treatment for urinary tract infections.