[Urinary tract infections in primary care: predominant microbes and their antibiotic sensitivity]

We have prospectively evaluated 227 episodes of community-acquired urinary tract infection (UTI) from October 1st to December, 15th, 1987. The urine samples, adequately collected, were processed in the Bacteriology Laboratory of the Albacete General Hospital. E. coli was the most commonly isolated organism (62%), followed by Proteus mirabilis (6.6%), Streptococcus faecalis (6.6%), Serratia marcescens (6.6%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (6.2%). As regards the sensitivity of E. coli to the most commonly used antibiotics, there was a 56% resistance to ampicillin, 37% to cotrimoxazole, 40% to amoxycillin/clavulanic acid, and 46% to cephalothin. These are in contrast with the small number of resistance, at least in vitro, to urinary chemotherapeuticals and phosphomycin. We emphasize the importance of the knowledge of the organisms more commonly involved in UTI and their updated sensitivity to antimicrobials for the best management of these infections.