Precision medicine in practice: unravelling the prevalence and antibiograms of urine cultures for informed decision making in federal tertiary care- a guide to empirical antibiotics therapy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Urinary tract infections (UTIs), one of the most prevalent bacterial infections, are facing limited treatment options due to escalating concern of antibiotic resistance. Urine cultures significantly help in identification of etiological agents responsible for these infections. Assessment of antibiotic susceptibility patterns of these bacteria aids in tackling the emerging concern of antibiotic resistance and establishment of empirical therapy guidelines. Our aim was to determine various agents responsible for urinary tract infections and to assess their antibiotic susceptibility patterns.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was performed over a period of six months from January 2023 to July 2023 in Department of Microbiology of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

RESULTS

Out of 2957 positive samples, Gram negative bacteria were the most prevalent in 1939 (65.6%) samples followed by Gram positive bacteria in 418 (14.1%) and spp. in 269 (9.1%) samples. In gram negative bacteria, was the most prevalent bacteria isolated from 1070 samples (55.2%) followed by in 397 samples (20.5%). In Gram positive bacteria, spp. was the most common bacteria in 213 samples (51%) followed by in 120 samples (28.7%). Amikacin was the most sensitive drug (91%) for Gram negative bacteria. Gram positive bacteria were most susceptible to linezolid (97%-100%).

CONCLUSION

The generation of a hospital tailored antibiogram is essential for the effective management of infections and countering antibiotic resistance. By adopting antimicrobial stewardship strategies by deeper understanding of sensitivity patterns, we can effectively combat antibiotic resistance.