A Study of the Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Bacterial Uropathogens from School Age Pupils in Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

Background: Globally, uropathogens when encountered in paediatric investigations, particularly in developing regions are major health concerns as they are the leading causes of bacterial infections and illness especially when they are asymptomatic, non-specific or with medical findings that make their management using antibiotics difficult. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the presence of bacterial uropathogens in 100 pupils of Islamiya Primary School in Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria, and to evaluate their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Method: Midstream urine samples were aseptically collected from pupils whose ages were between 5 and 15 years, with preponderance of males (80%) over females (74.5%). Samples were cultured on Cystine Lactose Electrolyte Deficient Agar and Eosin Methylene Blue Agar. Bacterial isolates were identified using morphological, Gram staining, and biochemical methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, with bacterial isolates standardized to the 0.5 McFarland turbidity standard. Result and conclusion: Out of 100 samples, 77 yielded significant bacterial growth, with a total of 93 isolates identified. Bacteriuria was highest (100%) in pupils aged 6-15 years, and least in those between the ages of 1 and 5 years. The predominant pathogen was Escherichia coli (20%) while Salmonella species was the least (6.0%) occurring pathogen. All the organisms were resistant to amoxycillin, azithromycin and rifampicin. Notably, Staphylococcus species exhibited multidrug resistance. The study revealed a high prevalence of uropathogens among school-aged children in Wukari, with E. coli and S. aureus as leading pathogens. The observed antimicrobial resistance patterns highlight the urgent need for antibiotic stewardship and hygiene-based interventions. Routine screening and public health education in schools are essential to mitigate the burden of paediatric UTIs in the region.