Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from specimens of patients with urinary diseases

Objective To assess the prevalence of antibiotic resistance of Escherichia Coli isolated from specimens of patients with urinary diseases and to provide data on directing clinical therapy with medication.Methods A retrospective analysis of data of antibiotic sensitivity tests of 32 isolates from specimens of patients hospitalized in urological wards was performed at Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan from January through December 2003.Susceptibility to 22 antibiotics was determined using the disc diffusion method.Of the 32 isolates,20 were obtained from urine,4 from secretions,4 from abscess,2 from drainage,1 from blood and 1 from sperm.Results Among the 22 antibiotics widely used in clinical practice,there were 10(45%) with the resistance prevalence over 50%.Tetracycillin had the lowest sensitivity(0%);and ampicillin,piperactcillin and nalidxic acid had their sensitivities less than 10%.The sensitivity rates of amikacin,ceftazidin,nitrofurantoin,cefoperazone,cefotacin were over 80%.No resistant isolate to imipenem was found.Conclusions These data suggest that the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance amongst Escherichia coli isolates from the specimens of patients with urinary diseases is severe.Oral antibiotics that have been widely used in a long history tend to have the highest antibiotic resistance.