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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
An In Vitro Bladder Model of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection
Published on: June 24, 2025
[Increased antimicrobial resistance in urinary tract infections?]
Unlabelled:
Increased resistance to antimicrobial agents is an increasing problem. More selective or broadspectrum drugs are needed to treat even simple infections such as urinary tract infections.
Objectives:
To investigate what microorganisms cause urinary tract infections in the community outside hospitals and their sensitivity/patterns to commonly used antimicrobial drugs.
Setting:
Akureyri District in Northern Iceland with on average 17300 inhabitants.
Material And Methods:
During three years (1992-1994), a total of 1996 urine specimens were analysed, 996 were confirmed as positive (>/=1O*5 cfu/ml of urine for all species except Staphylococcus saprophyticus, where the definition 5= 104 was used).
Results:
The most common cause of urinary tract infections outside hospitals was E. coli causing 82% of infections and S. saprophyticus causing 4%. For infections caused by E. coli, intermediate sensitivity to ampicillin was 2% and resistant 36%, with corresponding figures for sulfafurasol beeing 8% and 29%; cephalothin 22% and 22%; trimethoprim 1% and 13% and mecillinam 5% and 11%. Only 1% of the strains were resistant to nitrofurantoin.
Conclusions:
Antimicrobial resistance or decreased sensitivity is a considerable problem in urinary tract infections in the community. E. coli was only fully sensitive to nitrofurantoin among commonly used agents. These results can be helpful in the choice of antimicrobial drugs for empirical therapy in suspected or documented urinary tract infections.
Insights
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern for urinary tract infections (UTIs). Escherichia coli, a common UTI pathogen, showed high resistance to many antibiotics but remained sensitive to nitrofurantoin.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Context:
- Antimicrobial resistance is a significant global health challenge, particularly impacting common infections like urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- Community-acquired UTIs require up-to-date information on causative microorganisms and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns for effective treatment.
- The study focuses on UTIs in Northern Iceland, providing regional insights into microbial trends.
Purpose:
- To identify the primary bacterial agents responsible for community-acquired UTIs.
- To assess the in vitro susceptibility of these uropathogens to commonly prescribed antimicrobial drugs.
- To inform empirical treatment strategies for UTIs based on current resistance patterns.
Summary:
- A three-year study analyzed 1996 urine specimens from Akureyri District, Iceland.
- Escherichia coli (82%) and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (4%) were the most frequent UTI pathogens.
- E. coli demonstrated significant resistance to ampicillin (36%), sulfafurazole (29%), and cephalothin (22%), with lower resistance to trimethoprim (13%) and mecillinam (11%).
- Nitrofurantoin was the only agent to which E. coli showed high sensitivity (99% sensitive).
Impact:
- Highlights the considerable challenge of antimicrobial resistance in community-acquired UTIs.
- Identifies nitrofurantoin as a potentially effective agent for empirical UTIs treatment, especially for E. coli infections.
- Provides crucial data for healthcare providers to optimize antibiotic selection and combat rising antimicrobial resistance.
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