A study on the pathogenic microbes and antibiotic-sensitivity patterns in urinary tract infection among diabetes patients at a tertiary care hospital in Central Kerala

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become a global disease that is affecting millions of people, and currently, India has about 50 million patients. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have long been recognized as a significant problem in patients with DM. This study aimed to find out the pathogenic microorganisms and antibiotic sensitivity patterns for UTI in diabetes patients. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Microbiology at a tertiary care hospital. The duration of the study was for 10 months. Diabetic status was confirmed as per the recommended diagnostic criteria. The identification of the bacterial isolates and antimicrobial sensitivity was carried out by conventional or Vitek-2 compact system. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and were analyzed using the SPSS version 20. Variables were represented by the frequency and percentage analysis. Results: There were 59 positive urine cultures in diabetes patients from January 2021 to October 2021, and the highest number of patients belong to the >70 years' age group. Escherichia coli was the predominant organism isolated and was most sensitive to carbapenems. Conclusions: In our study, the elderly female population were found to be the most vulnerable group. The highest sensitivity was observed in carbapenem which can be used for empirical treatment in admitted patients.