Pattern of Urinary Antibiograms in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Eastern India

Indiscriminate use of antibiotics in urinary tract infections have led to emergence of 'superbugs' worldwide. Periodical review of antibiograms is of utmost importance for optimum patient benefit.

To identify the spectrum of organisms responsible for urinary tract infection and evaluate the pattern of antibiotic sensitivity of the organisms.

Urine samples were collected from all consecutive patients getting admitted in the medicine indoor irrespective of symptomatology. The clean-catch technique of midstream urine was used for patients able to void spontaneously while specimens of catheterized patients were obtained prior to catheter change. All samples were sent for routine examination as well as culture sensitivity tests. Descriptive statistical methods were used with the help of SPSS-15th version.

The total number of patients was 262, 160 (60.3%) were male and 102 (39.7%) female. The age of the subjects varied from 18 to 85 years. Significant bacteruria was found in 35.9% patients. The commonest organisms isolated overall were E coli (59.6%) followed by enterococcus spp (14.9%) and Klebsiella (10.6%). Among catheterized subjects apart from E coli (64%), Klebsiella was found to be commoner (12%) than Enterococcus 10%. Most Enterobactereacae showed good response to aminoglycosides, cephoperazone sulbactam and nitrofurantoin. However, organisms like Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Morganella and pseudomonas were poorly responsive to the above and required higher antibiotics like carbapenems, and polymixin B. Staph. aureus was responsive to linezolid and vancomycin only.

The progression of resistance of common urinary pathogens to higher antibiotics is an inexorable process. Our study reveals that new generation cephalosporins, quinolones and macrolides cannot keep up with the rapidity of emergence of multiresistant strains.