Prevalence and Bacterial Profile of Urinary Tract Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52206/jsmc.2025.15.4.910Abstract
Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide and pose a significant public health challenge. Globally, around 6 million patients attend outpatient clinics and approximately 300,000 are hospitalized annually due to UTIs.
Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of bacterial pathogens associated with urinary tract infections in patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.
Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, Swat, between February 1, 2022, and January 31, 2023. A total of 1000 patients aged 15–70 years with clinical symptoms of UTIs were included, while those with recent urological procedures, recurrent sexually transmitted infections, recent antibiotic use, or age above 70 years were excluded. Mid-stream urine samples were collected, cultured, and analyzed for bacterial growth and antibiotic susceptibility.
Results: Out of 1000 patients, 725 (72.5%) were female and 275 (27.5%) were male, with a mean age of 35 ± 4.5 years. Bacterial growth was detected in 831 (83.1%) samples, while 169 (16.9%) showed no growth. Escherichia coli was the predominant organism, isolated from 704 (70.4%) samples, followed by Klebsiella species (4.0%), Proteus species (1.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.8%), Enterococcus species (1.7%), Citrobacter species (1.7%), and Staphylococcus species (1.6%). A statistically significant association was found between bacterial isolates and patient gender (p=0.0423).
Conclusion: The findings reveal Escherichia coli as the most prevalent uropathogen, emphasizing its critical role in UTIs across age groups and genders. Timely identification and targeted treatment may improve patient outcomes and help reduce long-term complications.
Keywords: Antimicrobial susceptibility, Bacterial prevalence, Escherichia coli, Urinary tract infection, Uropathogens.
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