Bacteriological Profile of Urinary Tract Infection and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern in View of Emerging Drug Resistance

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) remains one of the most common bacterial infections affecting all age groups worldwide. The increasing emergence of antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens has become a major public health concern, limiting therapeutic options and increasing morbidity and healthcare costs. Continuous surveillance of causative organisms and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns is essential for guiding empirical treatment.
Objective: To determine the bacteriological profile of urinary tract infections and evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolated pathogens in relation to emerging antimicrobial resistance.
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed urine culture and sensitivity reports collected during January, 2023 to December, 2025. A total of 1,944 urine samples from patients of different age groups were evaluated. Bacterial isolates were identified using standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method according to standard laboratory guidelines. Data were analyzed according to age group, gender distribution, bacterial profile, and antibiotic susceptibility pattern.
Results: Among 1,944 urine samples, 475 were culture-positive, giving an overall prevalence of 24.43%. Females demonstrated a higher infection rate (26.24%) than males (19.96%). The highest prevalence of UTI was observed among children aged 0–10 years (56.25%) and individuals aged ≥51 years (47.4%). Escherichia coliwas the predominant pathogen across most age groups, particularly among adults and elderly patients. Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas species were also identified. Imipenem, Meropenem, Amikacin, and Nitrofurantoin exhibited comparatively higher sensitivity rates, whereas Cephradine, Cefixime, Ceftazidime, Ceftriaxone, Moxifloxacin, and Amoxicillin-Clavulanic acid demonstrated high resistance levels. Multidrug resistance was observed across several bacterial isolates.
Conclusion: Escherichia coli remains the leading cause of urinary tract infections. High resistance rates against commonly prescribed antibiotics highlight the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance. Carbapenems,
Amikacin, and Nitrofurantoin retained better activity against uropathogens and may be considered for empirical therapy based on local susceptibility patterns.