Gender and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Uropathogen in a Tertiary Care Level

Abstract

Background: Antibiotic therapy for UTI has become more difficult in the recent years, due to the widespread emergence of drug resistance (especially multi-drug resistance) among urinary pathogens. This study was designed to analyse the impact of the sex of the patient on antibiotic resistance.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective study, based on laboratory data on the bacterial isolates from urine samples submitted for culture and antibiotic susceptibility to the department of microbiology during the period of 2008 to 2011.

Result: Out of 1239 bacterial isolates included in this study, 745 (60.1%) were obtained from in-patients, while 494 (39.9%) were obtained from out-patients. 494 (39.87%) of the total isolates were from males, while 745 (60.13%) were from females. Higher susceptibility rates to all antibiotics tested, except for ciprofloxacin, were seen in females. This was found to be statistically significant, except with cotrimoxazole. The difference in susceptibility rates among in-patients and out-patients (higher susceptibility rates for all antibiotics, except ciprofloxacin) were statistically significant for all antibiotics, except with ampicillin, cotrimoxazole and ciprofloxacin.

Conclusion: Antibiotic resistance is more likely in urinary isolates from male patients and from in-patients. Greater caution is warranted in selecting antibiotics to treat these patients and should ideally be guided by urine culture and antibiotic susceptibility results.