A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON MICROBIAL SENSITIVITY AND RESISTANCE PATTERN AMONG PATIENTS AFFECTED WITH URINARY TRACT INFECTION AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is among the most prevalent bacterial infections worldwide and represents a significant healthcare challenge. Since treatment is frequently initiated before culture results become available, understanding the local distribution of uropathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns is crucial for selecting appropriate empirical therapy. This study combined retrospective and prospective analyses conducted over a period of 10 months. A total of 1,382 urine samples were evaluated in the retrospective phase and 1,343 samples in the prospective phase. Patient demographic data, including age and gender, were collected, and urine specimens were processed using standard microbiological and biochemical techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. In the retrospective analysis, significant bacterial growth was observed in 294 samples, with male patients accounting for 51% and female patients 49% of positive cases. The highest prevalence of UTI was noted in the 60–80-year age group. Escherichia coli was identified as the leading causative organism (51%), followed by Klebsiella species (15%). Similarly, in the prospective phase, 307 samples demonstrated significant growth, with females comprising 51.79% and males 48.21% of culture-positive cases. E. coli remained the predominant pathogen (52%), while Klebsiella species accounted for 15% of isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that E. coli and Klebsiella species exhibited the greatest sensitivity to β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and carbapenems. Enterococcus species showed high susceptibility to fosfomycin and vancomycin. These findings highlight the necessity of routine culture and susceptibility testing, along with effective antibiotic stewardship strategies, to optimize antimicrobial therapy and limit the emergence of resistant uropathogens.