Urinary Tract Infections among Patients of Selected Private Medical Laboratories in Okigwe Lga, Imo State (2020-2024)

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are considered one of the most common bacterial infections in the United States, accounting for an estimated 7 million outpatient clinic visits, 1 million emergency department visits, and approximately 100,000 hospital admissions annually. This retrospective study examined the distribution and microbial profile of urinary tract infections (UTIs) among patients who attended selected private laboratories in Okigwe Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria, between 2020 and 2024. The research employed a sample size of 357 medical records systematically selected from a population of 3,313 records retrieved from three major laboratories—Immanuel (1,202), Vigreat (1,006), and Unique (1,105). Data were collected using a structured proforma and analyzed with SPSS version 23.0, using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that out of the 357 patients sampled, 282 (79.0%) had bacterial UTIs, while 75 (21.0%) had fungal UTIs. The annual distribution showed an increasing trend in fungal UTIs, peaking at 8.4% in 2024, compared to 1.7% in 2020. Females represented the majority of UTI cases, accounting for 254 (71.1%), whereas males accounted for 103 (28.9%). The age group 20–29 years had the highest prevalence with 114 (31.9%) of the cases, followed by 30–39 years with 82 (23.0%). Bacterial isolates were dominated by Escherichia coli (41.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (24.9%), and Klebsiella species (11.2%), while Candida albicans (17.9%) led among fungal isolates. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing showed that ciprofloxacin (89.6%) and ceftriaxone (83.3%) were the most effective antibiotics, while ampicillin (28.2%) and nalidixic acid (35.9%) showed low sensitivity. Among fungal isolates, fluconazole showed the highest sensitivity (81.4%). A chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between gender and UTI occurrence (χ² = 11.642, p = 0.001), and between age group and UTI type (χ² = 13.274, p = 0.039), indicating that younger age groups and female patients were more susceptible. The study concludes that UTIs remain prevalent in Okigwe, predominantly bacterial in nature, though there is an emerging rise in fungal infections. The findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions, enhanced laboratory diagnostics, and continuous antimicrobial resistance surveillance to improve patient outcomes and reduce UTI burden in the region.