Main Article Content
Abstract
Introduction/ Urogenital tract infections have a considerable socio-economic impact in Cameroon inparticular and in developing countries in general, as they represent a major cause of morbidity, infertility and increase susceptibility to cancers and HIV/AIDS infections. Yet
epidemiological data which are essential in designing a proper strategy to fight against
these ailments are rare in Cameroon.
Objective: The main objective of this study is to establish a profile of infectious pathogens associatedwith the urogenital tract from symptomatic cases and to determine the antibiotic
susceptibility pattern to commonly used antimicrobial agents.
Method:The isolation of infectious agents of bacterial and fungal origin from urogenital specimens in Buea was evaluated alongside their susceptibility patterns to commonly used antibiotics by the Kirby Bauer method. During a 3-month period, April – June 2007,
a total of 220 samples from the urogenital specimens (vaginal, urethral and urine) was collected and analyzed from symptomatic male and female cases attending some health centers in the Buea Health District. All specimens were subjected to biochemical tests for identification and differentiation of individual isolates.
Results: In all, 145 pathogens were isolated; 101 were of bacterial origin while 44 were
of fungal (yeast) origin. The prevalence of infectious agents in males [21.3% (17/80)] was different from females [74.30% (104/140)]. Infections were prevalent in individuals within the age group of 20-29, for both sexes, strongly followed by those within the range of 30-39. Ranking the infectivity of the clinical specimens, it was observed that vaginal specimens (70.25%) were the most infected followed by urine (21.49%) and urethral specimens (8.26%) being the least. Bacterial strains were found to be mostly sensitive tociprofloxacin and frequently resistant to ampicillin and augmentin. On the other hand, yeast strains were mostly sensitive to ketoconazole while flucytosin and amphotericin B were of least sensitivity.
Conclusion: Females were more infected than males and not all the isolates were present in both sexes. The vagina specimens had the highest pathogenic load. E. coli was the most predominant
isolate from the urinary tract. There was a high prevalence of vaginitis (Candida and Gardnerella vaginalis infections) within the area of study compared to any other infectious agent. Results of antibiotic susceptibility tests revealed that the best drug for treatment of bacterial infections of the urogenital tract was ciprofloxacin, followed by ceftriaxone and amikacin; against ampicillin and augmentin which showed a high degree of resistance to the infectious isolates. On the other hand, the most effective antifungal was ketoconazole, followed by nystatin. The most exhibited multidrug resistant pattern was augmentine-ampicillin-cotrimoxazole. This study revealed that both males and females should be examined from time to time for infection so as to avoid progression to severe states with serious complications.
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References
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References
. United Nations. Reports of the international conference on population and
development in Cairo, 1995.
Carter PB, Cauci S and De Buysscher EV. Top Scientists put out a call to action on
women’s health. Old Herbon University Seminar. Monograp. 12: 5-6, 1999.
Neeley GN. Gonococcal infection in women. Obstetric Gynaecology. Clinical
North American Journal. 16: 467-478, 1989.
Lucas MJ, Cunnighan GF. Urinary infection in pregnancy. Clinical
Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 39(4):855-868, 1993.
Valiquette L. UTIs in women. Canadian Journal of Urology (1): 6-12, 2001.
Nicolle LE, Harding GKM.and Preiksaitis J. The association of urinary tract infection
with sexual intercourse. Journal of Infectious Disease. 146:57, 1982.
AAFP. American Academy of Family Physicians.. UTIs: A common problem
for some women. Familydoctor.org. 2004
ASHA. American Social Health Association: Sexually Transmitted Diseases in
America. Research Triangle Park INC, 1998.
Farley MM, Harvey RC, Stull T. A population-based assessment of
invasive disease due to group B Streptococcus in non- pregnant Adults. National Journal
of medicine .328:1807-1811, 1993.
Koneman WE, Allen DS, Janda MW, Schreckenberger CP and Winn CW.
Enterobacteriaceae ; Antimicrobial susceptibility testing. In: Introduction to
Diagnostic Microbiology. J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia. Pp 44-100; 285-286, 1994.
Cheesbrough M. Antibiotic sensitivity testing; Enterobacteriaceae; Candida.
In District Laboratory Practice in Tropical Countries Part II. Low Price edition 2000
Cambridge University Press. Pp 132-138; 178-188; 243-244.
Emori TG and Gaynos P. An overview of Nosocomial infections,
including the role of the microbiology laboratory. Clinical Microbiology Review 6:428-
, 1993.
Stamm WE and Hooton TM. Management of UTI in adults. North England
Journal of Medicine. 329:1328-1993. 1993.
Neu H. The crisis in antibiotics Resistance. Journal of Science. 257: 1064, 1992.
Chaniotaki S. Quinolone resistance among E. coli strains from community
acquired urinary tract infection in Greece. Clinical Microbial Infection. 10: 78-83, 2004.
Koulla-Shiro S and Abong-Bwemda T. Surveillance of in vitro sensitivity
of pathogens to antibiotics from urine. Medicine Digest. Vol XXI, no.4, 1995.