Resistance of Uropathogenic Staphylococci to Commonly Used Antimicrobials for Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections

Abstract

This study addresses the pressing issue antibiotic resistance in uropathogenic staphylococci secluded from female patients with acute urinary tract infection (UTIs) in Iraq. Antibiotic resistance, driven by the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials, presents a major public health challenge worldwide. The research focuses on determining the resistance patterns of these bacteria to routinely used antibiotics and developing viable therapy choices. Samples were taken from patients aged 18 to 40 years at Al-Hajj Jalal Hospital in Wasit Province, Iraq, over a six- month period. Urinalysis, bacterial culturing, biochemical, and molecular identification methods, including 16S rRNA gene amplification, confirmed the presence of Staphylococcus spp. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using Kirby-Bauer's disc diffusion method with various antibiotics. Results revealed a high prevalence of Gram-positive cocci (81.0%), predominantly Staphylococcus species, among UTI isolates. Alarmingly, staphylococcal isolates exhibited significant resistance to β-lactam antibiotics such as penicillin (84.4%) and cefoxitin (61.4%). Resistance to other antibiotics, namely gentamicin, norfloxacin, and trimethoprim were 37.6%, 27.5% and 34.8%, respectively. However, lower resistance rates were observed for nitrofurantoin (7.3%) and ciprofloxacin (20.1%), supporting their use as first-line therapies. The study emphasizes the critical need for antimicrobial stewardship, localized resistance monitoring, and routine susceptibility testing to optimize UTI treatment strategies. Additionally, it advocates for further research to understand the genetic mechanisms of resistance and explore alternative therapeutic options. These findings underscore the global urgency of addressing antibiotic resistance to improve patient outcomes in managing UTIs.

Keywords

• urinary tract infections, Staphylococci, antibiogram assay