Profile of Uropathogens and their Antibiogram in Pregnant Women with Suspected Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common illnesses that develop when bacteria enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract. Factors such as age, sex, catheterization, pregnancy and hospitalization all have an impact on the relative incidence of the pathogens. Antimicrobial resistance has been reported among several uropathogens, inappropriate use of antimicrobials being one of the major reasons, thus making the treatment of UTI a serious public health concern, particularly in developing nations. The present study was undertaken to study the spectrum of uropathogens and their antibiogram isolated from pregnant women with suspected urinary tract infections. The present study included all consecutive urine samples from pregnant women with clinical suspicion of UTI received in the Bacteriology section of Microbiology laboratory for culture and sensitivity from January to June 2022. Identification of uropathogens and their antibiogram were determined by standard bacteriological techniques. A total of 283 urine samples from pregnant women with clinical suspicion of UTI were included in the study. Of the total samples, 28.3% (n=80) had significant growth of bacteria while in 71.7% (n=203) significant growth of bacteria was not observed. Among the 80 uropathogens isolated from urine of pregnant women, E. coli was the most common isolate (60%, n=48), followed by Klebsiella spp. (25%, n=20), Enterococcus spp. (10%, n=8) and Candida spp. 5% (n=4). The isolates showed varying degree of resistance to different antibiotics. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common complication that can occur during pregnancy due to the many physiological changes that occur. As a result, it is critical to screen pregnant women on a regular basis in order to reduce the risk to both mother and child.