Urinary tract infections (UTIs) remain among the most common bacterial infections worldwide, with Escherichia coli as the predominant uropathogen. This retrospective study analyzed culture and susceptibility data from 455 samples processed in the Medicine Department of Zonal Hospital Dharamshala between January–December 2024. Urine was the most frequent specimen (58% OPD, 41% IPD, 1% ICU). E. coli accounted for the majority of isolates (n=94). High susceptibility was observed to meropenem (91%), piperacillin–tazobactam (89%), gentamicin (86%), fosfomycin (84%), and imipenem (84%), supporting their role in targeted or reserve therapy. Nitrofurantoin (78%) and cefepime (73%) remained moderately effective, whereas ciprofloxacin (30%), ampicillin (21%), and amoxiclav (53%) showed poor efficacy, limiting their empirical use. These findings highlight the value of department-specific antibiograms for guiding rational empirical therapy, preserving carbapenem efficacy, and supporting antimicrobial stewardship initiatives to mitigate resistance in this secondary-care hospital setting.
Komal et al. (Wed,) studied this question.