Detection of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) among pregnant women in Oluyoro Catholic Hospital, Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria

This study reports the detection of urinary tract infections among 80 pregnant women in Oluyoro Catholic Hospital Ibadan, South-Western, Nigeria for a period of 6 months. It was carried out to detect the presence of urinary tract infection in pregnant women, and to isolate and to identify the pathogens responsible for the infection. A total of 80 clean voided mid-stream urine samples were collected from pregnant women between the ages of 21-40 years. The results showed 38 bacterial isolates with an incidence of 47.5% in this population. The isolates were identified based on colonial morphology, microscopic characteristics, and biochemical tests using Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. Escherichia coli 16(42.1%) was the most predominant organism. This was followed by Staphylococcus aureus 11(28.9%), Klebsiella aerogenes 7(18.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2(5.3%), and a mixed culture of Klebisella aerogenes and Staphylococcus aureus 2(5.3%). Urine microscopy revealed the presence of Pus cells in the urine samples collected. Two samples, representing 2.5% of the samples contained yeast cells, suggesting that Candidiasis was also predominant. The high incidence rate of 47.5% reported in this study should be of great concern, as not only do UTIs pose a threat to health, but they also impose an economic and social burden due to the stigma associated with these infections.