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 were isolated from hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients. Among the isolates, 200 (86.2%) were gram negative bacilli, including E. coli 109 (54.5%), Klebsiella species, 44 (22.5%), Enterobacter species 19 (9.5%), Proteus species 18 (9%), Morganella morganii 9 (4.5%) and Salmonella typhimurium, one (0.5%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing to amoxycillin/clavulanic acid, nitrofurantoin, gentamicin and cefuroxime was performed using Stoke's method. Among the 109 E. coli isolates, 107 (98.2%), 104 (94.5%), 105(95.5% and 107 (98.2%) were sensitive to amoxycillin/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 acid, cefuroxime, nitrofurantoin and gentamicin, respectively. There was no significant difference when the suceptibility patterns of isolates from hospitalised patients were compared to those from outpatients. Although the susceptibility pattern of urinary tract pathogens to the commonly used antimicrobial agents in the hospital is still favourable, there is a need to establish strategies to prevent emergence of resistant bacterial strains.