The antibiotic sensitivity pattern and the use of antibiotics in women with asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy

Abstract

Introduction Nitrofurantoin has been recommended as a first-line therapy in Sri Lanka for urinary tract infections in pregnancy but it is not used frequently Methods At the Colombo South Teaching Hospital a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from June 2015 to April 2016 on 98 consecutive pregnant women between 8 and 24 weeks of gestation, residing in Colombo district and presenting with no urinary symptoms suggestive of urinary tract infection at the time of urine collection but having a positive urine culture (colony count of >105/mL of urine). The antibiotic sensitivity of the identified pathogens was studied. Results The commonest organisms found were coliforms (n = 79). The other organisms identified were staphylococci (n = 10), streptococci (n = 7) and enterococci (n = 2). All the organisms were sensitive to nitrofurantoin. However, nitrofurantoin was only used in 57 women. Conclusion As all the organisms were sensitive to nitrofurantoin, prescribing practices need to be changed to include nitrofurantoin as the first line of therapy for asymptomatic bacteriuria of pregnancy.