INCREASED INCIDENCE OF RESISTANCE TO ANTIMICROBIALS BY URINARY PATHOGENS ISOLATED AT TIKUR-ANBESSA-HOSPITAL

A retrospective analysis of 2209 urine Samples submitted for culture t o the Microbiology Laboratory of the Tikur Anbessa Hospital (TAH), Add is Ababa, between January 1992 and December 1994 was made. Significant bacteruria (colony count > 10(5) colony forming units/ml urine) was d etected in 672 (30%). pure culture was obtained in 510 (23%) of all sa mples and polymicrobial growth was detected in the remaining 162 (7%). Gram-negative bacteria comprised 95% of all isolates. The commonest o rganisms being Eschericia coli (39%) and Klebsiella species (26%). Amo ng the gram-positives, Staphylococcus aureus (57%) was the most common pathogen isolated. Most of the organisms were resistant to multiple d rugs. Ampicillin, carbenicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and tri methoprim-sulphamethoxazole were effective in less than 30% of all cas es. There was. also a significant resistance to cephalothin, gentamici n and kanamycin. Only nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin were effective for most of the organisms. Compared to previous studies, there is an indication of reduced effectiveness of the commonly prescribed antibio tics. The rational use of drugs should be practiced in order to preven t the emergence of multi-drug resistant microorganisms.