SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN OF UROPATHOGENIC GRAM-NEGATIVE BACILLI TO ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC-AGENTS IN A NATIONAL HOSPITAL IN DAR-ES-SALAAM

In a period of two months, 232 consecutive urinary tract pathogens wer e isolated from hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients. Among the isolates, 200 (86.2%) were gram negative bacilli, including E. coli 10 9 (54.5%), Klebsiella species, 44 (22.5%), Enterobacter species 19 (9. 5%), Proteus species 18 (9%), Morganella morganii 9 (4.5%) and Salmone lla typhimurium, one (0.5%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing to a moxycillin/clavulanic acid, nitrofurantoin, gentamicin and cefuroxime was performed using Stoke's method. Among the 109 E. coli isolates, 10 7 (98.2%), 104 (94.5%), 105 (95.5% and 107 (98.2%) were sensitive to a moxycillin/clavulanic acid, cefuroxime, nitrofurantoin and gentamicin, respectively. Of the 44 Klebsiella isolates, 42 (95.5%), 41 (95.5%), 40 (90.9%) and 34 (77.3%) were sensitive to amoxycillin/clavulanic aci d, cefuroxime, nitrofurantoin and gentamicin, respectively. There was no significant difference when the susceptibility patterns of isolates from hospitalised patients were compared to those from outpatients. A lthough the susceptibility pattern of urinary tract pathogens to the c ommonly used antimicrobial agents in the hospital is still favourable, there is a need to establish strategies to prevent emergence of resis tant bacterial strains.