Incidence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Escherichia coli causing community-acquired urinary tract infection in Tiaret province, Western Algeria: retrospective study

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a significant public health challenge due to their high prevalence. This study aimed to provide the most up-to-date data on the incidence of Community-Aquired UTIs (CAUTIs) and susceptibility profile of Escherichia coli (E. coli) causing these infections in Tiaret Province, Western Algeria. A total of 835 urine cytobacteriological exams were analyzed, and the antibiotic sensitivity of 56 E. coli isolates was evaluated over a three-month period, from January 2 to March 30, 2024. The results indicated that out of the 835 urine samples analyzed, 77 were positive, representing a rate of 9%. Among these positive cases, 70.13% were women and 29.87% were men.. The bacteriological profile showed a predominance of E. coli with 72.72% of the total cases, followed by Klebsiella spp. (12.98%), Pseudomonas sp. (7.79%), Staphylococcus aureus (2.59%), Proteus mirabilis (1.29%), Streptococcus spp. (1.29%), and Enterobacter sp. (1.29%). The antibiotic resistance evaluation of the E. coli isolates revealed the following resistance rates: ampicillin (75%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (44.64%), cefazolin (23.21%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (16.64%), cefotaxime (10.71%), cefoxitin (7.14%), gentamicin (7.17%), ertapenem (1.78%), amikacin (1.78%), and nitrofurantoin (0%). Understanding the incidence and resistance patterns of UTIs is crucial for guiding clinical practice, optimizing antimicrobial management, and implementing effective public health interventions for prevention and control.