Antibiotic resistance pattern of Escherichia coli isolates from outpatients with urinary tract infections in Somalia.

Introduction: Several studies suggest increasing rates of antibiotic resistance among adult populations with Urinary tract infections (UTI). Escherichia coli (E. coli), is the predominant bacterium both in the community and in hospital environments causing uropathogenic infections. This study aimed to estimate the common uropathogen bacteria that cause UTI among outpatients as well as to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern of E. coli isolates among outpatients with UTI infections at Shaafi hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Shaafi Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia. A total of 128 samples were collected from outpatients suspected of UTI and tested through bacteriological investigations and antimicrobial susceptibility tests following the Kirby-Bauer agar disc diffusion method.

Results: E. coli was isolated in 34 (41%) out of the total 83 samples that showed growth followed by Staphylococcus aureus 22 (26.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 13 (15.7%), Klebsiella pneumoniae 8 (9.6 %) and Proteus spp. 6 (7.2%). E. coli was highly sensitive to nitrofurantoin, 29 (85.3%), and ciprofloxacin (n = 23, 67.6%), and had the highest resistance rate of ceftriaxone, 33 (97.1%). The odds of having UTI were higher in patients with a history of UTI (Odds ratio OR = 0.211, 95% confidence interval CI: 0.080, 0.553) and history of antibiotic use (OR = 0.322, 95% CI: 0.113, 0.917). Increased resistance rate of E. coli against cephalosporins could be due to its excessive use as empirical therapy.

Conclusion: The study indicates that outpatients with UTI could be at high risk of antibiotic resistance, suggesting regular surveillance and monitoring of antibiotics.