Asymptomatic Bacteriuria among Pregnant Women Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in a Sub-Himalayan District of West Bengal, India

Abstract Background: Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnant women may lead to poor maternal and fetal outcomes, causing preterm birth, low birth weight in neonates, and acute pyelonephritis. Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the proportion and factors associated with ASB among pregnant women. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the antenatal clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, in 2023 among 200 antenatal women. Sociodemographic variables and obstetric history were taken. The VITEK-2 compact system was used for automated identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Data were analyzed by IBM-SPSS Version 20.0. Results: Eighteen (9.0%) women had ASB. Caste and poor socioeconomic status were associated with ASB. Lower age and pyuria showed a significantly increased likelihood of having ASB. Those with previous pregnancy loss, in later trimesters, had a higher likelihood of having ASB. The most commonly identified isolate was Escherichia coli 9 (50.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae 4 (22.2%), and Staphylococcus aureus 2 (11.1%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Acinetobacter baumannii , and Pantoea agglomerans were other isolates. The Gram-positive isolates, S. aureus , were sensitive to clindamycin (100.0%), linezolid (100.0%), and cefotaxime (50.0%). The Gram-negative isolates, E. coli , were mostly sensitive to nitrofurantoin (88.9%), cefotaxime (66.7%), ampicillin (55.6%), piperacillin–tazobactam (55.6%). K. pneumoniae was sensitive mostly to tetracycline (75.0%), levofloxacin (75.0%)], cefotaxime (50.0%), quinolones such as nalidixic acid and other fluoroquinolones showed maximum resistance for Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of ASB among pregnant women in the study setting was similar to that in the state. An increasing rate of resistance and multidrug resistance to the commonly used antimicrobial drugs was noticed.