COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF UROPATHOGEN PREVALENCE AND ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT PATTERNS IN E. coli VERSUS non-E. coli URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS AT A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE IN SOUTH INDIA

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) cause substantial morbidity globally, and rising multidrug resistance complicates empirical therapy. Local data on uropathogen prevalence and antibiotic prescribing is vital for stewardship. Aim: To determine the prevalence of causative uropathogens and compare antibiotic prescribing patterns between E. coli and non-E. coli UTIs. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study over six months reviewed 100 culture-proven UTI cases at S.H. Medical Centre, Kerala. Data on demographics, isolated organisms, and antibiotic regimens were collected. Frequencies and percentages were computed, and antibiotic prescription patterns were compared using χ² test (α = 0.05). Results: Females comprised 62%, and 49% of patients were >70 years. Gram-negative organisms represented 94% of isolates. E. coli accounted for 63%, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (25%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6%). Carbapenems were the most prescribed class in both groups (E. coli 36.5%, non-E. coli 37.8%), followed by cephalosporins and nitrofurantoin. The overall prescribing patterns between groups did not differ significantly (χ² = 6.60, p = 0.25). Conclusion: E. coli remains the predominant uropathogen. The frequent empirical use of Carbapenems across both E. coli and non-E. coli UTIs—without differentiation—calls for adoption of sensitivity-guided therapy and strengthened antimicrobial stewardship.