The New Indian Journal of OBGYN. 12(1):33-39

Bacteriological profile of urinary tract infection in pregnant women in a tertiary care hospital in Western Assam

Harekrishna Nath, Dina Raja, Purabi Das, Ratindra Kr Barman, Rika Engtipi, Devyashree Medhi, Divya Daimari

ABSTRACT

Background: UTI is a common morbidity in pregnancy, which leads to a harmful impact on pregnancy outcome. Early diagnosis and definitive treatment, following culture and sensitivity testing, alleviate symptoms and are crucial for the well-being of both the mother and the fetus. Methods: A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology in a tertiary care Hospital, Dhubri, to determine bacteriological profile of urinary tract infection in pregnant women and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. Data were collected from the hospital electronic database and laboratory E database, urine culture and sensitivity with effect from 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025. Significant bacterial isolates (as per Kass criteria) were analyzed conventionally by observing colony morphology, gram staining, and automated method in Vitek 2 MS using identification (ID)and antimicrobial sensitivity (AST) card with inoculums size 0.5MF according to Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). Results: Out of 234 cases, 13.24% yielded significant growth, and GNB (80.65%) was significantly higher compared to GPB (19.35%) isolates (p value <0.01). E.coli (61.29%) outnumbered all other isolates, followed by Ksp (12.90%), SA (9.67%), and Esp (6.45%). E. coli was sensitive to Imipenem (100%), Fosfomycin (100%) followed by Amikacin (89.5%), Nitrofurantoin (68.4%), and Piperacillin-Tazobactam (57.9%). Ciprofloxacin (31.6%) and Ceftazidime (31.6%) were found to be the most resistant. Ksp was found to be the most sensitive to Imipenem (100%), followed by Amikacin (75%), Gentamycin (75%), whereas SA was 100% sensitive to Linezolid, Daptomycin,Vancomycin, followed by 66.6% Gentamycin, Ciprofloxacin, and Levofloxacin. MRSA was detected in 66.6% of SA isolates. Incidence of bactereuria was significantly higher in lower socioeconomic and illiterate women and 1st trimester of pregnancy (p value < .05). Conclusion: UTI is significant in pregnant women, which leads to complications and recurrence. Besides good genital hygiene, guided treatment after urine culture sensitivity is a must during pregnancy. So that early diagnosis and definitive treatment can be started in the patient with UTI to reduce complications and improve the outcome of pregnancy.