ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE SURVEILLANCE OF UROPATHOGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI: A ONE-YEAR STUDY IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, BANGLADESH

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial diseases globally,with Escherichia coli recognized as the predominant etiological agent. The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) presents a major clinical and public health concern,particularly in developing countries such as Bangladesh.Methods: A prospective cross-sectional surveillance study was conducted from July 2023 to June 2024 at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology,Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University,Bangladesh. A total of 17,139 midstream urine specimens from patients with clinically suspected UTIs were cultured and analyzed. Significant bacteriuria was defined as ≥10⁵ CFU/mL. Isolates were identified through standard microbiological and biochemical methods, and antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines. Results: Of the 17,139 specimens, 5,266 (30.73%) yielded significant bacterial growth, with E. coli isolated from 2,842 cases (69%). Female patients constituted 62.45% of positive cases, with the highest prevalence among the 21–40-year age group (33.21%).Resistance was markedly high against Nalidixic Acid (91.31%), Cefotaxime (83.21%),and Ceftazidime (81.92%),as well as Co-trimoxazole (59.32%) and fluoroquinolones.In contrast, aminoglycosides, particularly Amikacin (90.58%) and Netilmicin (81.45%), along with Nitrofurantoin (69.49%), demonstrated the highest sensitivity. Conclusion: This study highlights the predominance of E. coli in UTIs and the alarming resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Amikacin, Netilmicin, and Nitrofurantoin remain viable therapeutic options.Regular surveillance and stringent antimicrobial stewardship are essential to mitigate the spread of multidrugresistant UPEC strains.