Multidrug-resistant Uropathogens in Urinary Tract Infection Patients: A Comprehensive Study at Al-Rifai Teaching Hospital
Suad Raihan Awad *
Department of Pathological Analysis, Faculty of Science, University of Sumer, Iraq.
Mohammed Yousif Aziz
Thi Qar Health Department, Al-Rifai General Hospital, Ministry of Health, Iraq.
Akram Radhi Salim
Thi Qar Health Department, Al-Rifai General Hospital, Ministry of Health, Iraq.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) rank among the most common bacterial infections globally and increasingly pose a public health threat due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant uropathogens. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence, causative agents, and antimicrobial resistance patterns of uropathogens isolated from outpatients with symptoms of UTI at Al-Rifai Teaching Hospital. Ninety urine samples were collected; eighty-two samples showed positive bacterial growth. Bacterial isolation and identification were performed by standard microbiological culture methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out using the Vitek automated system according to laboratory guidelines. Statistical analysis in this study involved comparing infection rate differences between male and female patients. The study found a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant uropathogens with a significantly higher proportion among females. There is an urgent necessity for continuous surveillance on antimicrobial resistance and implementation of evidence-based antibiotic policies to improve clinical management of urinary tract infections.
Keywords: Multidrug resistance, UTI, uropathogens, & antimicrobial susceptibility and prevalence