Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Escherichia coli among Tunisian Outpatients with Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infection (2012-2018)

INTRODUCTION: ) is the main pathogen incriminated. OBJECTIVE: throughout a 7-year period. METHODOLOGY: strains was realized using standard laboratory techniques. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method according to the CA-SFM/ EUCAST criteria. RESULTS: for ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and amikacin remained relatively stable over the study period, whereas susceptibility to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefotaxime and fluoroquinolones showed a 2-phase pattern. As for gentamicin, a continuous decrease in susceptibility rates was observed. CONCLUSION: are constantly changing, due to modifications in the antibiogram interpretation criteria and antibiotic prescription habits. Rigorous surveillance of resistance rate is necessary to determine appropriate empirical treatment and limit the spread of multiresistant strains.