COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF UROPATHOGEN PREVALENCE AND ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT PATTERNS IN E. coli VERSUS non-E. coli URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS AT A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE IN SOUTH INDIA
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) cause substantial morbidity globally, and rising multidrug resistance complicates empirical therapy. Local data on uropathogen prevalence and antibiotic prescribing is vital for stewardship. Aim: To determine the prevalence of causative uropathogens and compare antibiotic prescribing patterns between E. coli and non-E. coli UTIs. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study over six months reviewed 100 culture-proven UTI cases at S.H. Medical Centre, Kerala. Data on demographics, isolated organisms, and antibiotic regimens were collected. Frequencies and percentages were computed, and antibiotic prescription patterns were compared using χ² test (α = 0.05). Results: Females comprised 62%, and 49% of patients were >70 years. Gram-negative organisms represented 94% of isolates. E. coli accounted for 63%, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (25%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6%). Carbapenems were the most prescribed class in both groups (E. coli 36.5%, non-E. coli 37.8%), followed by cephalosporins and nitrofurantoin. The overall prescribing patterns between groups did not differ significantly (χ² = 6.60, p = 0.25). Conclusion: E. coli remains the predominant uropathogen. The frequent empirical use of Carbapenems across both E. coli and non-E. coli UTIs—without differentiation—calls for adoption of sensitivity-guided therapy and strengthened antimicrobial stewardship.
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204668602
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