Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern and Microbiological Profile of Uropathogens among Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bihar

Background Urinary tract infection is one of the most prevalent infections. Microorganisms causing UTI vary in their susceptibility to antimicrobials due to widespread use of inappropriate and empirical antibiotic therapy. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is also the most common nosocomial infection. Objective This study was designed to determine the microbiological profile and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of uropathogens among patients referred to Patna medical college and hospital Patna. Material and Method A total of two hundred and fifty (250) samples of urine from patients attending different inpatient and outpatient departments were included in the study. Urine samples were inoculated on Nutrient agar, Blood agar and McConkey agar plates by streaking. Inoculated plates were then incubated aerobically at 37C for 24 hours. After 24 hours of incubation, isolated colonies were picked up and Gram staining was done. Motility test and other biochemical tests were done for further identification of bacterial isolates using suitable Controls. Finally Antibiotic Susceptibility Test (AST) was performed to detect the degree of sensitivity or resistance of the pathogen isolated from the patient to an appropriate range of antimicrobial drugs on Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA) plates by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Results and Conclusion Out of the total of two hundred and fifty (250) samples examined in the laboratory during the study period only one hundred two (102) patients were found to have bacteriological infection. Among the bacteriologically positive cases, UTI was more common in females. Among the bacterial isolates Escherichia coli was the commonest pathogen in both males and females, followed by Klebsiella species. Sparfloxacin and Gatifloxacin were the most effective antibiotics in vitro for the Gram Negative bacilli isolated, while Azithromycin was most effective against the Gram Positive cocci. The Gram Negative uropathogens showed a high degree of resistance to cephalosporins. While the Gram Positive cocci showed highest resistance to Norfloxacin and ofloxacin. It is due to the excessive use of antimicrobials for all sorts of infections that uropathogens responsible for UTI are increasingly showing resistance to antibiotics.