Microbiological evaluation of urinary tract infection in menopausal and older women: Sample study from peripheral India

During a period of one year in a clinical laboratory in Ratnagiri city [Maharashtra, India]; there was a rising trend of Urinary Tract Infection [UTI] in a subgroup of patients. To understand this observation, we conducted a study to explore the bacteriology of UTI in women during Peri-menopause with predominantly Menopausal and postmenopausal women. Menopause is a stage of Women's life when they have withdrawal of their monthly cycles and there is significant fluctuation or distortion in reproductive hormone profile. Wide ranges of behavioral and clinical parameters were assessed at baseline survey. Women were instructed to collect a midstream urine sample after perineal cleansing in a sterile container. We gathered 132 urine samples of women with or without UTI. No catheterized specimens were included in the study. Appropriate media and reagents were used for culture and biochemical characterization of bacteria and detailed analysis of the results was done. It was observed that the women belonging to the age group of 51 to 60 years were most affected and Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant microorganism in their urine samples.