The Antibiotic Resistance and Multidrug Resistance Pattern of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli at Soba University Hospital: A Descriptive Retrospective Survey

Background: The irrational use of antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) may lead to increased antimicrobial resistance among uropathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli), as well as multidrug resistance worldwide, which will limit available treatment options for UTIs caused by these organisms. This study aimed to determine the resistance pattern of E. coli causing UTIs in out-patients and in-patients of Soba University Hospital.
Methods: Data were collected from the laboratory records in the Department of Microbiology in Soba Teaching Hospital by using a predesigned checklist and then analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences. Bivariate analysis (Chi-square test) was used to compare between variables.
Results: Out of the 231 E. coli urine cultures, 160 (69.3%) were collected from females. The results showed high resistance to ampicillin (92.4%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (83.3%), cephalexin (90.6%), cefuroxime (72%), ceftazidime (71%), ceftriaxone (72%), ciprofloxacin (68%), and co-trimoxazole (75.3%). Collectively, around 188 (81.4%) were multidrug-resistant. On the other hand, the sensitivities of E. coli isolates were 68.8%, 93.1%, 89.4%, and 100% to gentamicin, amikacin, and carbapenems, respectively. 
Conclusion: The rate of E. coli resistance was observed to be high to the commonly prescribed drugs for UTIs, including ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, different cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and co-trimoxazole. However, E. coli showed lower resistance rates to nitrofurantoin, amikacin, and carbapenems. Thus, these drugs can be reserved for the empirical treatment of UTIs caused by E. coli.