PREVALENCE OF UROPATHOGENIC Escherichia coli AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS RESIDING IN UGBOWO CAMPUS, UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a severe public health problem and are caused by a range of pathogens, but most commonly by Escherichia coli. This work was focused on the prevalence of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli among female students residing in Ugbowo campus, University of Benin, Edo state. A total of three hundred (300) freshly voided midstream urine samples were collected from female students of different halls of residence and analyzed using standard microbiological methods. Analysis of their clean-voided, midstream urine revealed that Escherichia coli had the highest prevalence with 50 (16.7%). The prevalence of infection in relation to residence differed among the students. Those that reside in Keystone had the highest prevalence (30%), followed by Clinical hostel and Hall 6 with 20% each, Hall 2 (17.8%), Hall 1 (17.5%), Hall 5 (15%), Hall 3 (14.3%) and the least was NDDC (11.1%). The antimicrobial susceptibility showed that the isolates were highly sensitive to Tarivid (84%), Gentamycin (80%), Pefloxacin (76%), Ciprofloxacin (70%), Sparfloxacin (56%) and highly resistant to Septrin (78%), Streptomycin (74%), Amoxacillin (60%) and Augmentin (56%). These findings should form a basis for preliminary decision making on the appropriate line of treatment for UTIs.