Bacteriological profile and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of isolates from urinary tract infection in elderly patients

Abstract Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) is the second most common cause of hospitalisation in the elderly, greatly affecting their well-being. Methods: A descriptive study analysed 100 culture-positive urine samples from elderly patients collected between January 2016 and June 2017. Isolates were identified using biochemical reactions, antibiotic susceptibility was determined by Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method and resistance mechanisms were detected phenotypically. Results: The study included 100 patients aged ≥60 years (female: male = 1.9:1) with UTI. Escherichia coli (67%) was the predominant isolate, highly sensitive to nitrofurantoin (83.5%), but significantly resistant to ciprofloxacin (84%) and ceftazidime (78%). Among Gram-negative isolates, 36.8% were multidrug-resistant (MDR), primarily due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) (32%), AmpC (14%) and carbapenemase production (17.3%). Conclusions: UTIs are frequent among the elderly, and uropathogens often exhibit resistance to common antibiotics. Elevated rates of ESBL and carbapenemase highlight the importance of monitoring to prevent treatment failures and lower illness and death rates.