Symptomatic and asymptomatic urinary tract infection and antibacterial susceptibility for pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Kilema hospital from June to July 2025
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Date
2025
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Publisher
Kairuki University
Abstract
Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is among the public health concern in pregnancy, which affects both maternal and fetal health. Symptomatic UTIs are detected and treated but asymptomatic infections usually remained unnoticed, but still they have significant risks on both maternal and fetal. There is challenges on management of UTIs in pregnancy because of increased
incidence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Irrational use of antibiotics has reduced its effectiveness, this situation has raised concern in most low-income countries like Tanzania, where routine urine culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing are not performed. The prevalence of asymptomatic and symptomatic UTIs among pregnant women and antibacterial susceptibility patterns data is limited. Lack of this information hinder the evidence based clinical decision making and proper management of UTI which is results based. Therefore, there is a great need of investigating the prevalence of asymptomatic and symptomatic urinary tract infection and antibacterial susceptibility in pregnant women attending antenatal care at Kilema Hospital. The research findings will provide baseline data which will enhance the strengthening
of diagnosis, improve treatment guidelines, and improve maternal and neonatal
outcomes.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic and symptomatic urinary tract infection, to assess the antibacterial susceptibility for pregnant women attending Antenatal care at Kilema Designated Hospital.
Methodology: A cross-sectional Analytical Hospital-based study was conducted for pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Kilema Hospital at any gestation age, with a sample size of 310, using a non-probability sampling technique. Midstream samples were collected in a well labeled urine container, transported to laboratory and processed using standard microbiology techniques. Bacterial isolates were identified, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Demographic and clinical data were collected using structured questionnaires.
Results: In this study, the total number of pregnant women who participated was 310. Asymptomatic UTI 65/310(21%) had positive urine culture results. Symptomatic urinary tract infections 75/310 (24.1%) had positive urine culture results. The overall prevalence of asymptomatic urinary tract infection was 21% and symptomatic UTI was 24.1%. E. coli was the most isolated organism with 64% for symptomatic and 55.4% for asymptomatic UTIs, followed by P. aeruginosa 27% for asymptomatic and 24% for symptomatic UTIs. Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate on asymptomatic UTI was 4.6%, Klebsiella oxytoca for symptomatic 9.4%, asymptomatic was 4.6%, Staphylococcus saprophytica was only isolated from asymptomatic UTI by 3.2%, Acinobacter, Proteus mirabilis, and Enterobacter species were the least organisms found.
Conclusion: From this study symptomatic and Asymptomatic urinary tract infections was still high 24.2% and 21% respectively. Other findings from this study was gradual increase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa for both Symptomatic and Asymptomatic urinary tract infection 24% and 27%, which was very low or absent from the research done in other places. There was remarkable antibacterial resistance of the most prescribed antibiotics on pregnant women such as nitrofurantoin, Azithromycin and Amoxycillin/Clavulanic Acid.
Description
A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for master’s degree in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Kairuki University
Keywords
UTI, symptomatic infections, asymptomatic diseases
Citation
Massawe, Mayola T., 2025. Symptomatic and asymptomatic urinary tract infection and antibacterial susceptibility for pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Kilema hospital from June to July 2025. Dissertation. Kairuki University