ABSTRACT
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) represent one of the most prevalent bacterial infections globally, affecting millions of individuals each year. These infections primarily target the urinary system, encompassing the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. This study is aimed at determining the prevalence of urinary tract infections (UTI) among adult patients attending general practice clinic (GPC) university of Benin teaching hospital, Edo state. Urine samples were collected from 150 patients comprising of males (60) and females (90) within the age range of (15 ≥ 45) years. The samples were processed by culture methods and the isolates obtained were subjected to Gram staining and biochemical tests for identification. Antibacterial and antifungal susceptibility was done on all the recovered isolates. The result showed that 108 (68.6%) yielded growth of microbial pathogens. Out of the 108 samples that yielded, 116 isolates of seven different species of bacteria and fungi including both Gram positive and Gram-negative organisms were recovered, which comprised of Escherichia coli (33.62%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (26.2%), Klebsiella oxytoca (24.14%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5.17%), Proteus mirabilis (1.72%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.72%) and Candida albicans (6.90%). Females had a higher infection rate (68.5%) compared to males (31.5%). Individuals aged 26-35 years exhibited the highest prevalence of UTI microbial pathogens (42.6%) (p=0.244). Holding of urine and frequent sexual activity had a significant association with prevalence of UTI (79.6%) (p=0.001) and (73.1%) (P=0.030) respectively. While toilet hygiene (39.8%) (p=0.204), circumcision (79.6%) (p=0.644) and previous case (34.3%) (p=0.505) had no significant association. Escherichia coli demonstrated high susceptibility to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, and ofloxacin. Staphylococcus aureus exhibited high susceptibility to Augmentin, ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, levofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, and ofloxacin. Klebsiella oxytoca and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed broad susceptibility to ceftazidime, Augmentin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. Proteus mirabilis showed complete susceptibility to all antibiotics tested, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited moderate susceptibility to most antibiotics, with exceptions in ceftazidime. Candida albicans showed high susceptibility to most antifungal agents tested. In conclusion, UTIs represent a significant burden on healthcare systems and individuals' quality of life. Understanding the epidemiology, risk factors, and management strategies for UTIs is essential for effective prevention and control of these prevalent infections.
