Abstract

NITROFURANTOIN REVISITED: SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN OF UROPATHOGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, SHIMLA, INDIA

Dr. Sunite A. Ganju*, Dr. Aneeta Kumari, Dr. Kiran Mokta and Dr. Anil K. Kanga

ABSTRACT

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a major public health problem and empirical therapy without a pretherapy urine culture is often used. The characteristic features of antibiotics used for empirical therapy should have low resistance rates against the potential pathogens, achieve high urinary concentrations, safe to administer, be cost-effective and satisfy patient compliance. Increasing multidrug resistance in uropathogens has resulted in limited therapeutic choices. Nitrofurantoin, an old antibiotic has received renewed interest. It is effective in treatment of uncomplicated UTIs both in inpatients and outpatients. Our analysis shows that Escherichia coli continues to be the major uropathogen causing UTIs and 99% of the inpatient urinary Escherichia coli isolates are susceptible to nitrofurantoin in our region.

Keywords: Escherichia coli, nitrofurantion, antibiotic susceptibility.