Resistance profile of multidrug-resistant urinary tract infections and their susceptibility to carbapenems

Abstract

Improper use of antibiotics has led, over time, to different resistance profiles of bacteria in association with a decrease in antibiotic efficacy. The long term of non-judicious administration of antibiotic lead to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. The existence of MDR to the most utilized groups of antibiotics has become a serious public health concern. In the context of the emergence of MDR urinary tract infections (UTIs), this paper aims to determine the bacteria resistance spectrum, as well as their sensitivity to carbapenems. For this, our retrospective study observed the urine cultures of the patients admitted in “Sf Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases in Iași, Romania, for signs and/or symptoms for a UTI in the first 6 months of 2019. We took into account only patients that were admitted to our hospital and had microbiological confirmed UTI. From all the urine cultures analysed in the studied period, 70 MDR strains were isolated, from which, 25 extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) producing bacteria with Escherichia coli being the predominant bacteria (38.6%). Regarding the susceptibility to antibiotics, the highest sensitivity of the tested strains was recorded for carbapenems. Improper diagnosis and irrational antibiotic therapy for UTIs accelerated the emergence of resistant multidrug strains. Treatment should be done according to the antibiogram, for a sufficiently long period to avoid resistance. The resistance to all antibiotics, even those that are considered the last line of treatment, represents the highest risk that the future imposes.