Abstract

High prevalence of multiple drug resistance among pediatric Escherichia Coli infections

Antimicrobial resistance is a serious health menace. Infections caused by multiple drug resistant organisms are on rise making community acquired infections a physicians’ nightmare. A survey was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of multiple drug resistant urinary tract pathogens affecting children in Jaipur. Urine samples were collected from children below five years of age. The urine samples were defined as positive culture when a single bacterial species was grown with colony count of >105 CFU/mL. A total of 240 urine samples were collected out of which only 67 were culture positive. It was found that 67% and 18% of infection was produced by E. coli and Staphylococcal species respectively. Other bacteria which produced urinary tract infection included Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Pseudomonas. The antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of E. coli isolates were tested against 10 commonly prescribed antimicrobial drugs for urinary tract infection as E. coli was the most predominant uropathogen. About 66 percent isolates showed resistance to 3 or more drugs. 46 percent E. coli isolates were resistant to 5 antibiotics tested. The highest resistance was shown to Augmentin (64%). Resistance shown by E. coli to Norfloxacin and Cefuroxime was 60%. About 94% isolates were sensitive to Netilmycin. None of the drugs tested was effective against all E. coli isolates. This type of surveys can act as guidelines for initiating empirical treatment of community acquired urinary tract infections until culture reports are generated.

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