A survey on epidemiology of urinary tract infections and resistance pattern of uropathogens in an Iranian 1000-bed tertiary care hospital.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infectious diseases diagnosed in communities and hospitalized patients. The aim of this study was to determine frequency of occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of uropathogens in Milad hospital of Tehran, Iran. In a prospective study from March to June 2009, a total of 11308 urine sample from patients admitted in Milad hospital of Tehran were analyzed. All specimens were inoculated on routine culture media. Bacterial isolates were identified by conventional bacteriological methods. Susceptibility testing was performed by standard methods as recommended by clinical laboratory standard institute. 11308 urine samples were cultured and 1020 pathogen were isolated. Escherchia coli with 620 (60.78%) isolates was the most common causative agent of UTI followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae with 115 (11.27%) isolates. Among gram positive CocciEnterococcus spp with 110 (10.78%) isolates and Staphylococcus aureus with 81 (7.94%) isolates were predominant organisms. Of 1020 patients, 227 (22.25%) were male and 793 (77.74%) were female. Of 1020 patients, 224 (21.96%) of patients were hospitalized and 796 (78.03%) were outpatients. Of 224 hospitalized patients, 85% of isolates of E. coli were resistant to ampicillin, while this figure was 90% for K. pneumoniae. Resistant to other antibiotics were also prevalent. Nitrofurantoin was the most effective antibiotics against E. coli andEnterococcus spp. In conclusion, our study revealed that bacterial resistance in uropathogens in our hospital continues to be a great problem and needs drug resistance surveillance periodically.   Key words: Urinary tract infections, drug resistance.