Abstract

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) have been proven to be the most reoccurring human diseases among hospitalized and non-hospitalized male and female of all age groups. Owing to the anatomy of the female reproductive organ, uropathogen causing UTIs are commonly isolated among adult women; nonetheless, adult male are also at risk of UTIs. This research aimed at investigating the prevalence and antibiogram among asymptomatic and symptomatic uropathogens associated with pregnant women in some selected LGAs in Taraba State, North East, Nigeria. The population of this study included pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) at General Hospital Wukari, Private hospital and Federal Medical Center, Jalingo. The study excluded individuals on any form of antibiotics medication.Three hundred (300) urine specimens were collected for the study using standard bacteriological techniques. The results of the investigation showed six (6) different isolates namely: Escherichia coli 9(8.7%), Staphylococcus aureus 1(1.0), Coagulase Negative staphylococci 4(3.9), Citrobacter species 3(2.9), proteus species 3(2.9) and Streptococcus species 1(1.0) were obtained for symptomatic pregnant women while for asymptomic pregnant women, Escherichia coli 17(8.6), Staphylococcus aureus 7(3.6), Coagulase-negative staphylococcio (CoNS) 4(2.0), Klebsiella pneumonia 4(2.0) and proteus species 3(1.5) were obtained. The antibiogram of isolates from both symptomatic and asymptomatic urine samples of pregnant women were subjected to antimicrobial activities of some selected antibiotics and the result revealed that ampicillin on Proteus species, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Streptococcus species gave 100% resistance. Escherichia coli, Proteus species, Klebsiella pneumonia, Citrobacter species. Staphylocuccus. aureus, CoNs, and Streptococcus spp. showed 3.8%, 0%, 25%, 0%, 0%, 4% and 0% resistance for ciprofloxacin respectively. Also, Citrobacter isolates exhibited the most resistance to Ampicillin (66.67%), Gentamicin (66.67%) and ceftriaxone (66.67%). Conclusively, our findings showed that early screening of pregnant woman for UTI causing bacterial uropathogens and determining their antibiotic susceptibility pattern is an important intervention to prevent complications that may endanger the life of both the pregnant women and the fetus. Hence, it is recommended that both symptomatic and asymptomatic pregnant women should have antibiotics inculcated in their treatment and regular test for uropathogens should be carried out.