Uropathogens antibiotic resistance patterns among type 2 diabetic patients in Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya

INTRODUCTION: Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for urinary tract infections. Irrational use of antibiotics has led to the emergency of uropathogens resistant to available antibiotics. The main objective was to determine the bacterial causative agents of urinary tract infections and their antibiotic resistance patterns. METHODS: One hundred and eighty (180) type 2 diabetic patients were recruited to take part in the study. Urine samples were collected and cultured for urinary tract infections diagnosis and antibiotic sensitivity. RESULTS: A total of 35 isolates were obtained from the study. All the isolates were sensitive to gentamicin. All 21 (100%) isolates of E. coli were sensitive to gentamicin and cephalexin. All 10 (100%) K. pneumoniae isolates were sensitive to gentamicin and nitrofurantoin. Out of the 21 E. coli isolates, five of them showed resistance to ampicillin, three E. coli isolates showed resistance to nitrofurantoin and another three E. coli isolates showed resistance to co-trimoxazole. Out of 10 K. pneumoniae isolates, two of them were found to be resistant to ampicillin, one K. pneumoniae isolate was resistant to cephalexin and two K. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to co-trimoxazole. Out of the four P. mirabilis isolates, there were three cases where one isolate was each resistant to ampicillin, nitrofurantoin and co-trimoxazole. CONCLUSION: There is a need to have a regular screening of bacterial isolates causing urinary tract infection in diabetic patients and their antibiotic sensitivity in order to have effective therapy. Present findings show that there is increased resistance to the commonly prescribed antibiotics.