Antimicrobial Resistance in E. coli Urinary Tract Infections
Author Information
Author(s): David C Bean, Daniel Krahe, David W Wareham
Primary Institution: Barts and The London NHS Trust
Hypothesis
What are the levels of resistance to commonly used antimicrobial agents among E. coli urinary isolates?
Conclusion
Resistance to commonly used oral treatments for urinary tract infections is extremely high, except for nitrofurantoin.
Supporting Evidence
- Nitrofurantoin was 94% effective against E. coli.
- Resistance to ampicillin was found in 55% of isolates.
- Trimethoprim resistance was observed in 40% of isolates.
- 5.7% of community isolates showed resistance to cefpodoxime.
- 21.6% of nosocomial isolates showed resistance to cefpodoxime.
Takeaway
Doctors found that most E. coli bacteria causing urinary infections are resistant to many common antibiotics, so they need to be careful about which ones to use.
Methodology
Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using the BSAC disc diffusion method on 11,865 E. coli urinary isolates collected over one year.
Potential Biases
Higher resistance rates in males may reflect more complicated urinary tract infections.
Limitations
The study may overestimate resistance rates as urine samples are often sent for testing only after treatment failures.
Participant Demographics
88.7% community isolates, 11.3% nosocomial; 85.7% from women, 14.0% from men, and 10.3% from children under 16.
Statistical Information
P-Value
≤0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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