A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE PREVALENCE OF E. COLI-ASSOCIATED URINARY TRACT INFECTION AMONG MALE AND FEMALE PATIENTS VISITING ALKHIDMAT RAAZI HOSPITAL, ISLAMABAD

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide, with Escherichia coli (E. coli) being the major causative pathogen.The present study was conducted to determine the comparative prevalence of E. coli–associated UTIs among male and female patients visiting Al-Khidmat Raazi Hospital, Islamabad, and to assess the antimicrobial resistance profile of the isolates. A total of 100 midstream urine samples were collected and processed using standard microbiological techniques. E. coli was isolated and identified through culture and biochemical methods, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines. Out of the 100 positive samples, 32% were from male patients and 68% from female patients, confirming a higher prevalence in females. Age-wise distribution showed the highest prevalence in the 25–35 and 55–65-year groups. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed high resistance rates against amoxicillin (60%), piperacillin-tazobactam (57%), and gentamicin (47%), with variable resistance to other antibiotics. Male isolates showed higher resistance to amoxicillin (71%) compared to females (29%), whereas female isolates confirmed higher resistance to doxycycline (67%) compared to males (43%). Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was observed in 45.5% of isolates. The study highlights the significant burden of E. coli–associated UTIs, particularly among females, and emphasizes the alarming prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. These findings show the importance of careful antibiotic use, regular checking of resistance, and preventive measures to reduce UTI cases and recurrences.