Characteristics of urinary tract infections in elderly outpatients from Zagreb region

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are considered to be the most frequent human infections. Elderly people are especially prone to those infections. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of UTI in elderly patients with patients younger than 65, and to find any possible differences in incidence and etiology between those two groups. Between 1 January and 31 October 2005 at the Zagreb Institute of Public Health 22046 urine samples from City of Zagreb and Zagreb region outpatients were cultivated. A total of 6,310 samples was collected from elderly patients (≥65 years). In elderly populations with UTI, male to female ratio was 1:1.7, while in patients younger than 65 years the ratio was 1:5. The difference in the incidence of UTI according to age and gender was observed. In elderly population the urinary tract pathogens showed significantly higher resistance rates to fluoroquinolones (p<0.01), whereas in male patients higher resistance rates were found to beta-lactams, aminoglicosides and cotrimoxazole as compared to women irrespective of age (p<0.01). In elderly persons changes in health also affect the features of UTI. There is a constant need to monitor the epidemiology and resistance of urinary tract pathogens to assure an appropriate antimicrobial therapy.

Keywords

• urinary tract infections
• aged
• antibiotics
• antibiotic resistance