ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERNS IN BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM URINE SAMPLES

ABSTRACT Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevalent bacterial infections affecting people of all age groups globally. The increasing rate of antibiotic resistance among uropathogenic bacteria poses a serious threat to public health and clinical treatment outcomes. This study was carried out to determine the antibiotic resistance patterns of bacteria isolated from urine samples and to assess the prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains among the isolates.A total of 50 urine samples were collected and analyzed at the Microbiology Laboratory of Joseph Ayo Babalola University. Bacterial isolates were identified using standard cultural, morphological, and biochemical methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method in accordance with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The antibiotics tested included ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, amoxicillin, augmentin, and streptomycin. The results showed that Escherichia coli was the most prevalent organism (40%),followed by staphylococcus aureus (24%), Klebsiella spp. (16%), Proteus spp. (12%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8%). Ciprofloxacin and gentamicin were the most effective antibiotics, while high resistance was observed against amoxicillin and augmentin. Alarmingly, 70% of the isolates were found to be multidrug-resistant, with Proteus spp. and Klebsiella spp. exhibiting the highest MDR rates. This study underscores the urgent need for routine antibiotic susceptibility testing in the management of UTIs, as well as the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs. The findings also call for increased public awareness about the dangers of antibiotic misuse and the necessity of policy interventions to combat the spread of antibiotic resistance.