Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a major health problem, the second most prevalent human bacterial infection after respiratory tract infection. Patient with urinary tract infection is a potential source of multi drug resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli (E. coli) with the potentials to spread antimicrobial resistant genes to other bacteria in the environment and other human populations. The aim of the study was to isolate and determine the prevalence of MDR Escherichia coli from patients suspected with urinary tract infection attending Ahmadu Bello University Medical Center, Zaria. A total of 95 urine samples were collected and processed according to standard microbiological methods for the isolation and identification of E. coli. Antibacterial susceptibility pattern of the isolates was determined using Kirby-Bauer’s disk diffusion technique as well as MAR indices. Out of the 95 urine samples collected 32 were from males and 63 were from females, whose ages were between 5 and 74 years. The results revealed that 35 (36.8%) out of the 95 samples collected were positive for E. coli with high prevalence among the female patients 23(24.2%) compared to the male patients 12(12.4%). High prevalence of E. coli was also reported among the patients within the age ranges of 15-24 and 25-34 years. The Escherichia coli isolates demonstrated high resistance to sparfloxacin (91.4%), followed by cotrimoxazole and amoxicillin (82.9%). Additionally, 30 (85.7%) of the isolates exhibited multi drug resistance and 94.3% (n = 33/35) had a MAR index above 0.2. The study demonstrated that some of the E. coli isolates in the study are from high-risk contaminated sources where there may be high frequency of antibiotic usage. Therefore, the study indicated the need for Physicians to prescribed antibiotics to patients following standard antibacterial susceptibility testing. Keywords: Prevalence, Escherichia coli, Multi drug resistant, Urinary tract infection
High Frequency of Antimicrobial Drug Resistance of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in Infants in Peru
