VIRULENCE FACTORS AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PROFILE OF BACTERIAL UROPATHOGENS ISOLATED FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN JADA ADAMAWA STATE

Abstract This study aimed to assess the incidence, types, and virulence factors of bacterial uropathogens in primary school students in Jada LGA. Analysis of sixty mid-stream urine samples involved culturing on CLED agar and identifying isolates through biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using Mueller Hinton agar and commercial antibiotic discs. Virulence markers, including biofilm formation and hemolysin presence, were evaluated with Congo red agar and sheep blood agar, respectively. The findings indicated a 31.6% incidence of urinary tract infections in females and 28.6% in males, with the highest prevalence among students aged 6-7 years. The findings indicate that E. coli is the predominant culprit behind bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the examined population. Antibiotic susceptibility tests reveal that Ciprofloxacin and pefloxacin exhibit the highest efficacy against the isolates, suggesting their potential use in empiric UTI treatment. Additionally, the results highlight that the presence of the toxin, hemolysin (found in 63% of the isolates), and the uropathogenic biofilm-forming ability (84.2% of isolates) might contribute to enhanced pathogenicity. It is recommended that periodic surveillance studies be promoted to promptly identify shifts in uropathogenic prevalence, virulence markers, and antibiotic resistance patterns. Keywords: Urinary tract Infection, Uropathogens, Virulence Factors, Susceptibility, Antibiotic resistance