Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide, with Escherichia coli as the leading causative agent. Rising antimicrobial resistance complicates empirical therapy, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of uropathogens and their antibiotic resistance and sensitivity patterns in patients with culture-confirmed UTIs at a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 100 patients diagnosed with UTIs at Comilla Medical College Hospital from January to June 2018. Midstream urine samples were cultured, and the isolates were identified using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested using the disc diffusion method, and the results were interpreted according to the CLSI guidelines. Results: Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated organism (86%), followed by Klebsiella spp. (9%) and Enterococcus spp. (5%). Carbapenems showed the highest sensitivity (imipenem, 100%; meropenem, 96%), followed by amikacin (92%), tazobactam (99%), and nitrofurantoin (88%). Resistance was highest for ceftriaxone (55%), ciprofloxacin (48%), cotrimoxazole (47%), and ceftazidime (47%); however, carbapenem resistance was low (1–4%). Conclusion: Carbapenems and aminoglycosides remain highly effective for UTIs in this setting; however, resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics is alarmingly high. Empirical treatment protocols should be revised based on the updated local antibiograms.
Iqbal et al. (Sat,) studied this question.