Abstract
Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevalent bacterial infections in women, posing significant public health burdens globally. Identifying the dominant uropathogens at local levels is critical for guiding empirical antibiotic therapy and stewardship programs.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the Central Diagnostic Laboratory, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Midstream urine samples were collected from 228 female patients with clinical suspicion of UTI over a three-month period. Samples were cultured on CLED agar at 37°C for 24–48 hours. Bacterial identification was performed using Gram staining and biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton agar.
Results: Escherichia coli was the predominant uropathogens, isolated from 118 samples (51.8%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae in 66 samples (28.9%) and Enterococcus faecalis in 44 samples (19.3%). Multidrug resistance (MDR) was detected in all three pathogens, with notable extended-spectrum beta-lactacase (ESBL) production in K. pneumoniae and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) patterns in select E. faecalis isolates.
Conclusion: E. coli remains the primary cause of female UTIs in Lahore, consistent with global trends. The significant co-prevalence of K. pneumoniae and E. faecalis, combined with MDR profiles, underscores the urgent need for continuous local surveillance and targeted antibiotic stewardship.