An Appraisal of Bacteriological Profile and Antibiogram Patterns among Elderly with Urinary–Tract-Infection: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that can affect any portion of the urinary system (kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra). It's worth noting that the majority of UTIs affect the lower urinary tract. This infection has been identified as the most frequent bacterial illnesses, accounting for a significant portion of the workload in microbiological diagnostic laboratories.
 UTIs account for 15.5 percent of hospitalizations in individuals over the age of 65, and it has been reported as one of the most common types of infection among the elderly, particularly those in institutionalized care.
 Objectives: Our aim was to retrospectively appraise and evaluate the bacteriological profile and antibiogram patterns in elderly adults visiting our private healthcare center.
 Methods: The retrospective survey was conducted on elderly patients who visited the hospital within the period of three years (October 2018- October 2021). Questionnaire designed was used to collect data from the Health Information Management unit of the hospital and these information were analyzed using SPSS 20 package with a level of significant set at p-value of < 0.05.
 Results: Females made up over 70% of the study participants, while men made up 30.2 percent. A substantial percentage of the elderly (53.8%) between the ages of 60 and 65 had E. coli growth as the cause of their UTI. More than a third (33.3 percent) of the elderly between the ages of 60 and 80 had Staphylococcus and Proteus as the cause of their UTI. The majority of the elderly patients' samples showed Staphylococcus Aureus and E Coli growth, with E coli growth reported in 33.3 percent and 66.7 percent of male and female participants, respectively, and Staph. aureus growth reported in 22.2 percent and 77.8% of male and female participants' urine cultures, accordingly. The majority of the bacteria grown were susceptible to Quinolones and Ceftriazone combination medicine (Ceftriazone + Tazobactan for E. coli and Ceftriazone + Tazobactam/ Sulbactam for Staphylococcus aureus), however common hospital antibiotics such as Ceftriazone, Augmentin, Amoxicillin, Cefixime, and cefuroxime were not sensitive to the urine cultured germs.
 Conclusion: The rate of UTI in the elderly was relatively high, and antibiotic resistance to routinely administered medicines was surprising. The findings of this study have bolstered the need for comprehensive national control programs to combat antibiotic resistance, as well as the establishment of Geriatric clinics and geriatric public care programs across Nigeria's private and public health institutions, whose responsibility it is to raise awareness about the dangers of UTI and to develop robust treatment plans for the elderly.