Bacteriological profile of urinary tract infections and antibiotic susceptibility of Escherichia coli in Algeria

Nouara  Ait-Mimoune; Houda Hassaine; Meriem Boulanoir

doi:10.18502/ijm.v14i2.9180

Nouara Ait-Mimoune Department of Biology, Laboratory of Microbiology, Bouira University, Bouira, Algeria
Houda Hassaine Department of Biology, Laboratory of Microbiology, Bouira University, Bouira, Algeria
Meriem Boulanoir Department of Biology, Laboratory of Microbiology, Bouira University, Bouira, Algeria

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v14i2.9180

Keywords: Urinary tract infection; Escherichia coli; Antibiotic resistance; Microbiota

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Urinary tract infections are one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains is a serious problem and greatest challenge in public health care. The pur- pose of this study was to determine the prevalence of uropathogenic microorganisms and the antibiotic resistance pattern of Escherichia coli in Algeria.

Materials and Methods: Urine samples were collected from 760 outpatients in the hospital of Tizi-Ouzou (Algeria). From the positive cultures, 120 strains of E. coli were isolated and tested for their susceptibility to antibiotics by disk diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar medium.

Results: Among the collected urine specimens, 270 (35.5%) yielded positive cultures for urinary tract infection. Females were more affected with a sex ratio F/M of 1.14. E. coli was the most prevalent isolated bacteria with a rate of 44.44%, fol- lowed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.21%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.1%) and Proteus mirabilis (5.55%). Isolates of E. coli showed high level of resistance to cephalothin (85.83%), ticarcillin (82.5%), ampicillin (73.3%) and amoxicillin-clavu- lanic acid (58.33%). Imipenem was the most effective antimicrobial agent.

Conclusion: These results highlight the inappropriate utilization of antibiotics and suggest the need to improve prescription practices in our country.