The prevalence of multiple drug resistance <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> isolated from patients with urinary tract infections

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bacterial resistance to antibiotics is global health problem and a threat to public health in many countries. AIMS: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of MDR Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in UTI patients. MATERIALS & METHODS: The midstream urine samples of 120 patients were collected and cultured as described by the protocols at the respective sample collection sites on MacConkey Blood agar. Samples were tested by using the fully automated VITEK 2 Compact system for Gram-negative identification and detection of antimicrobial susceptibility of microorganisms. RESULTS: The most prevalent pathogen was E. coli, which was found in 82 (68.3%) urine samples, followed by K. pneumonia, found in 38 (31.7%) urine samples. As far as antibiotic resistance is concerned, E. coli isolates were found to be highly resistant for ceftriaxone (89.0% of the isolates), ampicillin (86.6%), levofloxacin (82.9%), cefotaxime (79.3%), aztreonam (74.4%), ceftazidime (68.3%) and gentamicin, piperacillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 54.9 and 53.7%, respectively. The E. coli isolates were found to be relatively less resistant to imipenem (2.4%), cefepime (34.1%), and ciprofloxacin (35.4%). For K. pneumonia isolates, high resistance rates were observed for piperacillin (81.6%), levofloxacin (78.9%), ampicillin (76.3%), cefotaxime (73.7%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (71.1%), ceftazidime (65.8%), gentamicin (63.2%), cefepime (50.0%), and aztreonam (44.7%). However, moderate resistance rates were detected for these were found to be less resistant for imipenem (13.2%), ceftriaxone (31.6%), and ciprofloxacin (36.8%). CONCLUSION: E. coli and K. pneumoniae from the clinical isolates displayed high resistance to many antibiotics in UTI patients.