Incidence of Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) amongst Patients Attending Primary Health Centres in Anambra State

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most prevalent extra-intestinal bacterial infections. It is a common disease encountered in medical practice affecting people of all ages, from neonate to geriatric age group. These infections are on the increase for outpatients attending Primary Health Centres in Anambra State, Nigeria, therefore the need for this study. The prevalence rate of urinary tract infection, age distribution and influence of sex were determined. Susceptibility pattern of the infectious organisms to antimicrobial agent were examined. Clean-catch midstream urine samples were collected and examined. Out of 3000 urine samples examined, 528 bacterial isolates were recovered and characterized. These include: Escherichia coli (24.2%), Klebsiella spp. (18.2%), Staphylococcus aureus (18.2%), Proteus mirabilis (9.1%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.1%), Enterococcus faecalis (9.1%), Citrobacter intermedius (6.1%) and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (6.1%). More females (52%) were infected than males (48%) and in both sexes, the highest incidence was found amongst the age group, 26 - 38 years. Gram negative rods had the highest incidence in both sexes. Among the towns in Anambra state, Umunya in southern province was observed to have the highest incidence rate of UTI. Susceptibility test of the bacterial isolates to antimicrobial agents showed that Staphylococcus aureus was sensitive to Cephalexin, Penicillin V, Erythromycin and Gentamycin while Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to all the antibiotics. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. were resistant to all the antibiotics except Gentamycin while Citrobacter intermedius was resistant only to Cephalexin and Erythromycin. This study provides the evidence of urinary tract infections amongst outpatients of primary health centres and the drugs for their control.