TO EXAMINE THE PREVALENT REASONS FOR URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS IN FEMALE PATIENTS VISITING THE HOSPITAL, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO PREVENTING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE.

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are commonly reported by women, both among the general population and in hospital environments. It is estimated that one in three women will face at least one episode of UTI in their lifetime. UTIs are among the most prevalent clinical bacterial infections in women, representing nearly 25% of all infections. Approximately 50–60% of women will experience UTIs at some point in their lives. There has been a rise in resistance among Gram-negative bacteria, particularly over the past six years. This increase is primarily attributed to the proliferation of strains that produce extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), such as CTX-M enzymes or AmpC β-lactamases. Many of the isolates producing these enzymes also show resistance to trimethoprim, quinolones, and aminoglycosides, often due to the co-expression of other resistance mechanisms on plasmids. CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli is frequently found in the community, and since E. coli is one of the most common pathogens causing urinary tract infections (UTIs), the available options for treating these infections are becoming increasingly limited. This study aimed to identify the bacterial profile of urinary tract infections (UTI) in female patients. It was a hospital-based retrospective study conducted at Tertiary care hospital in south-central region of rajasthan. Clean catch mid-stream urine samples from 500 suspected cases of urinary tract infections were processed following standard protocols. Out of the 500 patients, 88 were identified as culture positive.