Resistance profiles of urinary tract infections in general practice--an observational study

Spectrum and antibiotic resistance in community- and hospital-acquired urinary tract infections among adults: Experience from a large tertiary care center in a developing country

BACKGROUND

It is important to note that the causative agents and patterns of antibiotic resistance vary between urinary tract infections (UTIs) acquired in the community and those acquired in a hospital setting. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the types of organisms and patterns of antibiotic resistance in adult patients with community-acquired urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) and hospital-acquired urinary tract infections (HA-UTIs).

METHODS

Retrospectively, we collected urine samples from patients at An-Najah National University Hospital who experienced nonrecurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) between January 2019 and December 2020. The data were subsequently analyzed using IBM-SPSS® 21.0 software to determine the distribution of microorganisms and evaluate the rates of antibiotic resistance.

RESULTS

A total of 798 nonrepetitive UTI patients were included in our study, in which more than half of the UTIs occurred in female patients (472; 59.1%), and most of the UTIs were of community origin (611; 76.6%). Both community-acquired urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) and hospital-acquired urinary tract infections (HA-UTIs) were more common in female patients (45.6% and 13.5%, respectively). Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated urinary pathogen in both the CA-UTIs and HA-UTIs. The five most common isolated urinary pathogens were E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Among the isolated bacteria, 28.2% were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria, 4.1% were carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), and 6.5% were vancomycin-resistant Enterococci. The most commonly isolated urinary pathogens from HA-UTIs showed higher resistance rates against all the tested antibiotics except for E. faecium, which showed greater resistance to tetracycline (42.5%) and quinupristin/dalfopristin (17.5%) in CA-UTIs.

CONCLUSIONS

There are similarities in the etiological profiles of CA-UTI and HA-UTI, but the resistance rates are high, and urine culture is essential for the correct treatment of individual cases, even in primary care.

The Percentage of Antibiotic Resistance in Uncomplicated Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infections

BACKGROUND

Uncomplicated bacterial urinary tract infections(uUTIs) are commonly seen in outpatient practice. They are usuallytreated empirically with antibiotics. The pertinent German ClinicalPractice Guideline contains recommendations on antibiotic selection,with the additional advice that the local resistance situationshould be considered as well. However, up-to-date information onlocal resistance is often unavailable, because microbiological testingis mainly recommended for complicated UTIs. Resistance ratesare often higher in recurrent uUTIs than in single episodes. In thisstudy, we aimed to determine the resistance rates of Escherichiacoli (E. coli) in patients with community-acquired uUTIs and tomake these data available to the treating physicians.

METHODS

In a nationwide cross-sectional study in Germany (DRKS00019059), we determined the percentages of resistance to antibioticsrecommended for uUTIs (first choice: fosfomycin, nitro -xoline, mecillinam, nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim; second choice:cefpodoxime, ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, levofloxacin, norfloxacin,ofloxacin) over the period 2019-2021. The data were stratified bysingle episodes vs. recurrent UTIs (rUTIs).

RESULTS

Data from 2390 subjects were analyzed. E. coli was foundin 75.4% of the samples with positive urine cultures (1082 out of1435). The resistance rate of E. coli in single episodes (n = 725)was less than 15% for all antibiotics tested. In rUTIs(n = 357), resistance rates were also less than 15%for the most part; the only exceptions were trimethoprim(21.4%) and cotrimoxazole (19.3%).

CONCLUSION

For single episodes of uUTI, all of theantibiotics studied can be recommended, at least asfar as their resistance profiles are concerned. Forrecurrent UTI, all but trimethoprim and cotrimoxazolecan be recommended. The second-choice antibioticsexamined do not have a more favorable resistanceprofile than the first-choice antibiotics.

Enhancement and external validation of algorithms using diagnosis codes to identify invasive Escherichia coli disease

OBJECTIVE

To assess the predictive accuracy of code-based algorithms for identifying invasive Escherichia coli (E. coli) disease (IED) among inpatient encounters in US hospitals.

METHODS

The PINC AI Healthcare Database (10/01/2015-03/31/2020) was used to assess the performance of six published code-based algorithms to identify IED cases among inpatient encounters. Case-confirmed IEDs were identified based on microbiological confirmation of E. coli in a normally sterile body site (Group 1) or in urine with signs of sepsis (Group 2). Code-based algorithm performance was assessed overall, and separately for Group 1 and Group 2 based on sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV) and F1 score. The improvement in performance of refinements to the best-performing algorithm was also assessed.

RESULTS

Among 2,595,983 encounters, 97,453 (3.8%) were case-confirmed IED (Group 1: 60.9%; Group 2: 39.1%). Across algorithms, specificity and NPV were excellent (>97%) for all but one algorithm, but there was a trade-off between sensitivity and PPV. The algorithm with the most balanced performance characteristics included diagnosis codes for: (1) infectious disease due to E. coli OR (2) sepsis/bacteremia/organ dysfunction combined with unspecified E. coli infection and no other concomitant non-E. coli invasive disease (sensitivity: 56.9%; PPV: 56.4%). Across subgroups, the algorithms achieved lower algorithm performance for Group 2 (sensitivity: 9.9%-61.1%; PPV: 3.8%-16.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study assessed code-based algorithms to identify IED during inpatient encounters in a large US hospital database. Such algorithms could be useful to identify IED in healthcare databases that lack information on microbiology data.

Escherichia coli resistance, treatment patterns and clinical outcomes among females with uUTI in Germany: a retrospective physician-based chart review study

Real-world data were collected to examine antimicrobial resistance (AMR) prevalence, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes among female patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI) in Germany. Data were from a retrospective physician-based chart review completed by physicians treating patients with uUTI. Non-pregnant women aged ≥ 12 years, with a uUTI diagnosis, an E. coli-positive urine culture between January 2017-December 2019, and susceptibility test results for ≥ 4 drug classes were eligible. Patients were stratified into three cohorts by drug class susceptibility: susceptible to all (SUS), resistant to one or two drug classes (DR1/2), and resistant to ≥ 3 (MDR) drug classes tested. Among 386 eligible patients [SUS (67.1%); DR1/2 (29.0%); MDR (3.9%)], AMR prevalence was highest for FMIs (18.3%) and lowest for fluoroquinolones (5.2%). The most prescribed drugs were fosfomycin in SUS (44.0%), DR1/2 (41.4%), and fluoroquinolones in MDR (40.0%). Treatment for uUTI failed for 8.8% of patients; failure was more likely in MDR versus SUS [adjusted odds ratio [95% CI] = 4.21 [1.14-1.50]; P = 0.031); incidence of recurrent infection in the 6-months post-index period was higher in DR1/2 versus SUS. These findings may have implications for empiric prescribing, suggesting an unmet need for new treatments.

The Appropriateness of Empirical Antimicrobial Treatment of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection in Adult Female Patients in Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia

INTRODUCTION

Uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI) is one of the most prevalent bacterial infections in clinical practice. Empirical treatment is used commonly; thus, knowledge of the local antimicrobial susceptibility pattern is crucial to avoid the growing antibiotic resistance.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the empirical treatment of uUTI and determine the susceptibility pattern for common uUTI causative microorganisms at outpatient clinics in hospitals in the Jazan region.

METHOD

This is a prospective observational study of 120 patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections attending internal medicine outpatient clinics in Al-Hayat Jazan hospital, Saudi Arabia, from September 2021 to January 2023.

RESULTS

In total, 120 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was 48.53 ± 9.29. Risk factors for UTI were found in 57.5%, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) was the major risk factor (27.5%). The most common causative microorganism was Escherichia coli (E. coli) (87.5%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (5%), Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter spp., and Enterococcus spp. (2.5%). Nitrofurantoin was the most effective antimicrobial agent (sensitivity rate of 91.7%) against all microorganisms, followed by Ciprofloxacin (75%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study concluded that nitrofurantoin and Ciprofloxacin are suitable empirical treatments for uncomplicated urinary tract infection in the Jazan region, and increased resistance against trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (TMPSMX) and cefaclor was observed; thus, empirical therapy with these agents should be reconsidered in local guidelines. Wide surveillance research is necessary to monitor effective empirical therapies and to evaluate the regional antimicrobial susceptibility pattern.

Antibiotic Resistance Changes in Gram-Positive Bacteria from Urine Cultures: Development Analysis in a Health Area of South-East Spain

This study analyzed the epidemiology and antibiotic susceptibility profile of significant bacteriuria and assessed the impact of adopting EUCAST criteria on antibiotic resistances. A systematic review was performed on publications in English or Spanish between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2021 on the susceptibility of Gram-positive bacteria isolated in urinary samples in Europe. A retrospective descriptive study was also conducted on the results of 21,838 urine cultures with presumptive urinary tract infection (UTI) obtained during the past five years by the Department of Microbiology of the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital (Granada, Spain). The activity of various antibiotics was determined, differentiated among various populations, and interpretations compared according to the application of EUCAST or CLSI criteria. Among 21,838 cases of significant bacteriuria, 27.69% were by Gram-positive bacteria, which were Enterococcus faecalis in 19.04% and Enterococcus faecium in 3.92%. The susceptibility profile remained stable for most antibiotics except for levofloxacin for E. faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus and nitrofurantoin for E. faecium. The resistance of Enterococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. to glycopeptides was exceptionally low in our setting. No significant difference in the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was observed between hospital (26.67%) and community (28.85%) samples. Resistances in our local setting remain stable and appear to be lower than reported in other studies. The adoption of EUCAST vs. CLSI criteria did not produce a general change in resistance rates. Findings suggest the need to revise certain empirical criteria, such as aminoglycoside synergy for Enterococcus and for community-origin S. aureus.

Portable Prussian Blue-Based Sensor for Bacterial Detection in Urine

Bacterial infections can affect the skin, lungs, blood, and brain, and are among the leading causes of mortality globally. Early infection detection is critical in diagnosis and treatment but is a time- and work-consuming process taking several days, creating a hitherto unmet need to develop simple, rapid, and accurate methods for bacterial detection at the point of care. The most frequent type of bacterial infection is infection of the urinary tract. Here, we present a wireless-enabled, portable, potentiometric sensor for E. coli. E. coli was chosen as a model bacterium since it is the most common cause of urinary tract infections. The sensing principle is based on reduction of Prussian blue by the metabolic activity of the bacteria, detected by monitoring the potential of the sensor, transferring the sensor signal via Bluetooth, and recording the output on a laptop or a mobile phone. In sensing of bacteria in an artificial urine medium, E. coli was detected in ~4 h (237 ± 19 min; n = 4) and in less than 0.5 h (21 ± 7 min, n = 3) using initial E. coli concentrations of ~10³ and 10⁵ cells mL^-1, respectively, which is under or on the limit for classification of a urinary tract infection. Detection of E. coli was also demonstrated in authentic urine samples with bacteria concentration as low as 10⁴ cells mL^-1, with a similar response recorded between urine samples collected from different volunteers as well as from morning and afternoon urine samples.

Methenamine hippurate to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections in older women: protocol for a randomised, placebo-controlled trial (ImpresU)

INTRODUCTION

Methenamine hippurate is a urinary antiseptic used as preventive treatment for recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in some Scandinavian countries. However, the scientific evidence for the preventive effect and safety for longer-term use is limited. The aim of this study is to assess whether methenamine hippurate can reduce the incidence of UTIs in older women with recurrent UTIs.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The ImpresU consortium is a collaboration between Norway, Sweden, Poland and the Netherlands. The study is a randomised, controlled, triple-blind phase IV clinical trial. Women ≥70 years with recurrent UTIs are screened for eligibility in a general practice setting. We aim to include 400 women in total, with 100 recruited from each collaborating country. The participants are randomised to treatment with methenamine hippurate 1 g or placebo tablets two times per day for a treatment period of 6 months, followed by a drug-free follow-up period of 6 months. The primary outcome is number of antibiotic treatments for UTIs during the treatment period. The secondary outcomes include number of antibiotic treatments for UTIs during the follow-up period and self-reported symptom of severity and duration of UTI episodes. Differences in complications between the treatment groups are measured as safety outcomes. We also aim to investigate whether strain characteristics or phylogenetic subgroups of Escherichia coli present in the urine culture at inclusion have a modifying effect on the outcomes.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approvals are obtained in all participating countries. The results will be communicated in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT04077580); EudraCT: 2018-002235-15.

Preventive effect of methenamine in women with recurrent urinary tract infections - a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common bacterial infection in women. In Norwegian general practice, methenamine has been prescribed for many years as long-term prevention and accounted for 20% of the total antibiotic prescribing in 2015, as measured in defined daily dosages (DDDs). The efficacy of methenamine is unknown. If shown to be effective, this drug may become an important preventive against UTI.

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether methenamine is preventive against recurrent UTI in women.

DESIGN

Data for all antibiotics used for UTIs dispensed from all pharmacies from 2005 to 2015 were collected from the Norwegian prescription database (NorPD).

SUBJECTS

Women aged ≥ 40 years with recurrent UTI, defined as ≥3 courses of UTI antibiotic/year, were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Patients using methenamine (cases) and those not using methenamine (controls) were compared. The numbers of UTI prescriptions during the 2 years before and after inclusion were analysed. Results: The yearly prevalence for recurrent UTI was 2.4% in women ≥ 40 years. The change in antibiotic use from 2 years before to 2 years after inclusion in the study differed significantly between groups: 44.6 and 34.9% reductions in the number of antibiotic prescriptions for UTI in the methenamine and control groups, respectively. The decrease in UTI antibiotic prescriptions (58.9%) was greater in patients with a higher consumption of antibiotics before starting methenamine.

CONCLUSIONS

Methenamine seems to be effective against recurrent UTI over the time span studied. The effect seems to be greater in patients with the highest number of recurrent UTIs. Key pointsMethenamine has been used for many years for prevention of recurrent UTI, but no studies have demonstrated a significant preventive effect of long time use.This study shows that methenamine seems to be effective for prevention in patients having recurrent UTI over 2 years or more.The effect seems to be larger in patients with a high number of UTIs over 2 years.

Patterns and trends of antibacterial treatment in patients with urinary tract infections, 2015–2019: an analysis of health insurance data

Background

Urinary tract infections are among the most common reason for encounter and subsequent antibiotic prescriptions. Due to the risk of collateral damage and increasing resistance rates, explicit recommendations against the use of fluoroquinolones like ciprofloxacin in uncomplicated urinary tract infections have been issued. However, to what extent these recommendations were followed and if there are relevant differences between the disciplines involved (general practitioners, urologists, paediatricians and gynaecologists) are unknown.

Methods

We used anonymized data from a local statutory health insurance (SHI) company, which covered about 38% of all SHI-insured persons in the federal state of Bremen, Germany between 2015—2019. Data included demographics, outpatient diagnoses and filled prescriptions on an individual level.

Results

One-year prevalence of urinary tract infections was 5.8% in 2015 (females: 9.2%, males: 2.5%). Of all 102,715 UTI cases, 78.6% referred to females and 21.4% to males, 6.0% of cases were younger than 18 years. In females, general practitioners were the most common diagnosing speciality (52.2%), followed by urologists (20.0%) and gynaecologists (16.1%). Overall, fluoroquinolones were most often prescribed (26.3%), followed by fosfomycin (16.1%) and the combination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (14.2%). Fluoroquinolones were most often prescribed by urologists and general practitioners, while gynaecologists preferred fosfomycin. During the study period, shares of fluoroquinolones decreased from 29.4% to 8.7% in females and from 45.9% to 22.3% in males.

Conclusions

Despite a clear trend toward a more guideline adherent prescription pattern, there is still room for improvement regarding the use of second-line antibiotics especially fluoroquinolones. The choice of antibiotics prescribed differs between specialities with higher uptake of guideline-recommended antibiotics by gynaecologists, mainly because of higher prescription shares of fosfomycin.

High antimicrobial resistance in urinary tract infections in male outpatients in routine laboratory data, Germany, 2015 to 2020

Background

Evidence on the distribution of bacteria and therapy recommendations in male outpatients with urinary tract infections (UTI) remains insufficient.

Aim

We aimed to report frequency distributions and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of bacteria causing UTI in men and to identify risk factors for resistance of Escherichia coli against trimethoprim (TMP) and ciprofloxacin (CIP).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective observational study using routinely collected midstream urine specimens from 102,736 adult male outpatients sent from 6,749 outpatient practices to nine collaborating laboratories from all major regions in Germany between 2015 and 2020. Resistance in E. coli was predicted using logistic regression.

Results

The three most frequent bacteria were E. coli (38.4%), Enterococcus faecalis (16.5%) and Proteus mirabilis (9.3%). Resistance of E. coli against amoxicillin (45.7%), TMP (26.6%) and CIP (19.8%) was common. Multiple drug resistance was high (22.9%). Resistance against fosfomycin (0.9%) and nitrofurantoin (1.9%) was low. Resistance of En. faecalis against CIP was high (29.3%). Isolates of P. mirabilis revealed high resistance against TMP (41.3%) and CIP (16.6%). The CIP and TMP resistance was significantly higher among bacteria derived from recurrent UTI (p < 0.05). Age ≥ 90 years, recurrent UTI and regions East and South were independently associated with AMR of E. coli against TMP and CIP (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The most frequent UTI-causing pathogens showed high resistance against TMP and CIP, empirical therapy is therefore likely to fail. Apart from intrinsically resistant pathogens, susceptibility to fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin remains sufficient. Therefore, they remain an additional option for empirical treatment of uncomplicated UTI in men.

Effect of Fluoroquinolone Use in Primary Care on the Development and Gradual Decay of Escherichia coli Resistance to Fluoroquinolones: A Matched Case-Control Study

The reversibility of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine, over a period of five years, the effect of fluoroquinolone (FQ) use in primary care on the development and gradual decay of Escherichia coli resistance to FQ. In this matched case−control study, we linked three sources of secondary data of the Health Service of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, Italy. Cases were all those with an FQ-resistant E. coli (QREC)-positive culture from any site during a 2016 hospital stay. Data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression. A total of 409 cases were matched to 993 controls (FQ-sensitive E. coli) by the date of the first isolate. Patients taking one or more courses of FQ were at higher risk of QREC colonization/infection. The risk was highest during the first year after FQ was taken (OR 2.67, 95%CI 1.92−3.70, p < 0.0001), decreased during the second year (OR 1.54, 95%CI 1.09−2.17, p = 0.015) and became undetectable afterwards (OR 1.09, 95%CI 0.80−1.48, p = 0.997). In the first year, the risk of resistance was highest after greater cumulative exposure to FQs. Moreover, older age, male sex, longer hospital stays, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes mellitus were independent risk factors for QREC colonization/infection. A single FQ course significantly increases the risk of QREC colonization/infection for no less than two years. This risk is higher in cases of multiple courses, longer hospital stays, COPD and diabetes; in males; and in older patients. These findings may inform public campaigns and courses directed to prescribers to promote rational antibiotic use.

The microbial community, its biochemical potential, and the antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus spp. in Arctic lakes under natural and anthropogenic impact (West Spitsbergen)

The sustainable management of small human communities in the Arctic is challenging. In this study, both a water supply system (Lake 1) under the natural impact of a bird-nesting area, and a wastewater receiver (Lake 2) were analysed in the vicinity of the Polish Polar Station on West Spitsbergen. Microbial community composition, abundance and activity were assessed in samples of the treated wastewater, lake water and sediments using next-generation sequencing and direct microscope counts. Special attention was given to the faecal indicator, Enterococcus spp., whose occurrence and antimicrobial resistance were tested in water and wastewater samples. The results indicate that Lake 1, at a tundra stream discharge (L-TS) and a water supply point (L-WS) were dominated by three phyla: Proteobacteria (57-58%) Bacteroidetes (27-29%) and Actinobacteria (9-10%), showing similar microbial composition up to the genus level. This suggests that nutrient-rich runoff from the bird colony was retained by surrounding tundra vegetation and reached Lake 1 at L-TS to a limited extent. Lake 2, being the wastewater recipient (WW-R), mirrors to some extent the core phyla of treated wastewater (WW-E), but in different shares. This suggests the possible washout of wastewater-related bacteria with activated sludge flocs, which was also supported by the microscopic observations. Compared to Lake 1, in WW-R an increase in all tested parameters was noted: total prokaryotic cell number, average cell volume, prokaryotic biomass and live cell percentage. The presence of Enterococcus spp. antibiotic resistance patterns highlight the importance of human associated microbiome and resistome dissemination via wastewater discharge. Moreover, it can be expected that temperature-related biochemical processes (e.g. nutrient cycling) may be accelerated by the ongoing climate change. Thus, proper wastewater treatment requires locally adapted solutions in increasingly visited and inhabited polar regions. Additionally, microbial community discharged to the environment with the treated wastewater, requires critical attention.

Psychometric properties of a self-assessment questionnaire concerning symptoms and impairment in urinary tract infections: the UTI-SIQ-8

OBJECTIVES

To validate the urinary tract infection-Symptom and Impairment Questionnaire (UTI-SIQ-8), a questionnaire that consists of four items to assess the symptom severity for dysuria, urgency, frequenc, and low abdominal pain and four items to assess the resulting impairment of activity by UTIs.

DESIGN

Prospective observation study.

SETTING

German primary care practices.

PARTICIPANTS

An unselected population of women with UTI. Women could participate online via a web application for smartphones, smartwatches and tablets or use a paper-and-pencil version.

MAIN OUTCOMES

Psychometric properties of the UTI-SIQ-8 regarding reliability, validity and sensitivity to change by using factor analysis and multilevel and network analysis.

RESULTS

Data from 120 women with a total of 769 symptom reports across 7 days of measurement were analysed. The majority of the participating patients (87/120) used the web application via smartphones or other devices. The reliability of the UTI-SIQ-8 was high, with Cronbach's alpha of .86 at intake; convergent and discriminant validity was satisfactory. Intraclass correlation demonstrated high sensitivity to change, with 68% of the total variance being due to time differences. These daily changes in an individual's symptoms moved parallel with daily changes in the EQ-5D-5L (b=1.68, SE=0.12, p<0.001) and the visual analogue scale (b=0.03, SE=0.003, p<0.001), also highlighting convergent validity with respect to daily changes in symptom severity.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings support the UTI-SIQ-8 questionnaire as an economic, reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of symptom severity and symptom change in women with uncomplicated UTI. The web application helped patients to report symptoms on a daily basis. These findings may encourage primary care physicians to use the UTI-SIQ-8 in their daily practice and researchers to apply it to studies involving patients with uncomplicated UTI.

Management of urinary tract infections: what do doctors recommend and patients do? An observational study in German primary care

Background

Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women are usually managed in primary care with antibiotics. However, many women seem to prefer to handle UTI symptoms with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other remedies. The aim of this study was to compare UTI management as recommended by physicians with the patients’ management at home.

Methods

This prospective cohort study in German primary care is based on clinical data from local practices and patient questionnaires. Participating women completed a baseline data sheet in the practice; their urine sample was tested by a dipstick in the practice and cultured by a laboratory. The women reported treatment and symptom-related impairment on an eight-item symptom questionnaire daily for 7 days. Using growth curve models, we analysed the influence of time on the total severity score to examine how symptoms changed across days. We then examined whether symptom severity and symptom course differed between patients who took antibiotics or NSAIDs.

Results

A total of 120 women (mean age of 43.3 ± 16.6 years) were enrolled. The urine dipstick was positive for leucocytes in 92%, erythrocytes in 87%, and nitrites in 23%. Physicians prescribed antibiotics for 102 (87%) women and recommended NSAIDs in 14 cases. According to the women’s reports, only 60% (72/120) took antibiotics, while the remainder took NSAIDs and other remedies. Symptoms declined from day 0 to day 6, irrespective of whether women decided to take an antibiotic, NSAIDs, none or both, as confirmed by a significant curvilinear time effect (B = 0.06, SE = 0.005, p < .001). The symptom course, however, was moderated by taking antibiotics so that the change in symptom severity was somewhat more pronounced in women taking antibiotics (B = 0.06) than in the remainder (B = 0.04).

Conclusion

A substantial proportion of women did not follow their physicians’ treatment recommendations, and many used NSAIDs. All women had a good chance of recovery irrespective of whether they decided to take antibiotics. A sensitive listening to patient preferences in the consultation may encourage physicians to recommend and prescribe symptomatic treatment with NSAID more often than antibiotic medicines.

Escherichia coli Resistance to Fluoroquinolones in Community-Acquired Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection in Women: a Systematic Review

Antibiotic resistance is a threat to public health, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) are an example of this concern. This systematic review (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews [PROSPERO] ID: CRD42020156674) is the first to determine the prevalence of Escherichia coli resistance to fluoroquinolones in women with community-acquired uUTI. PubMed and Embase searches were conducted; 38 studies fulfilled eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review. Within Europe, ciprofloxacin resistance in E. coli isolates varied between countries and increased in some from 2006 to 2008 and 2014 to 2016, specifically in the United Kingdom (0.5% to 15.3%), Germany (8.7% to 15.1%), and Spain (22.9% to 30.8%), although methodologies and settings were often not comparable. In Asia, there was a substantial increase in ciprofloxacin resistance during 2008 to 2014 from 25% to more than 40%. In North America, resistance to ciprofloxacin also increased between 2008 and 2017, from 4% to 12%. Data exploring different age groups did not show a consistent relationship with resistance, whereas two studies found that fluoroquinolone resistance was higher in postmenopausal women than premenopausal women. One study indicated a link between fluoroquinolone resistance and uUTI recurrence. These findings may have implications for the empirical treatment of uUTI with fluoroquinolones globally, but more data are needed to fully understand regional situations and impact patient management.

Routine laboratory surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in community-acquired urinary tract infections adequately informs prescribing policy in England

Objectives

To assess whether resistance estimates obtained from sentinel surveillance for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in community-acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) differ from routinely collected laboratory community UTI data.

Methods

All patients aged ≥18 years presenting to four sentinel general practices with a suspected UTI, from 13 November 2017 to 12 February 2018, were asked to provide urine specimens for culture and susceptibility. Specimens were processed at the local diagnostic laboratory. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted using automated methods. We calculated the proportion of Escherichia coli isolates that were non-susceptible (according to contemporaneous EUCAST guidelines) to trimethoprim, nitrofurantoin, cefalexin, ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, overall and by age group and sex, and compared this with routine estimates.

Results

Sentinel practices submitted 740 eligible specimens. The specimen submission rate had increased by 28 specimens per 1000 population per year (95% CI 21-35). Uropathogens were isolated from 23% (169/740) of specimens; 67% were E. coli (113/169). Non-susceptibility of E. coli to trimethoprim was 28.2% (95% CI 20.2-37.7) on sentinel surveillance (33.4%; 95% CI 29.5-37.6 on routine data) and to nitrofurantoin was 0.9% (95% CI 0-5.7) (1.5%; 95% CI 0.7-3.0 on routine data).

Conclusions

Routine laboratory data resulted in a small overestimation in resistance (although the difference was not statistically significant) and our findings suggest that it provides an adequate estimate of non-susceptibility to key antimicrobials in community-acquired UTIs in England. This study does not support the need for ongoing local sentinel surveillance.

Circulating mucosal-associated invariant T cells in subjects with recurrent urinary tract infections are functionally impaired

Background

Urinary tract infection recurrence is common, particularly in women and immunocompromised patients, such as renal transplant recipients (RTRs). Mucosal‐associated invariant T (MAIT) cells play a role in the antibacterial response by recognizing bacterial riboflavin metabolites produced by bacteria such as Escherichia coli. Here, we investigated whether MAIT cells are involved in the pathogenesis of recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs).

Methods

Using multichannel flow cytometry, we characterized the MAIT cell phenotype and function in blood from immunocompetent adults with (n = 13) and without RUTIs (n = 10) and in RTRs with (n = 9) and without RUTIs (n = 10).

Results

There were no differences in the numbers of MAIT cells between the study groups. MAIT cells in patients with RUTI expressed T‐bet more often than those in controls. MAIT cells from immunocompetent RUTI participants required more antigen‐presenting cells coincubated with E. coli to evoke a similar cytokine and degranulation response than those from controls. This effect was absent in the RTR with RUTI vs RTR control groups, where the overall percentage of MAIT cells that responded to stimulation was already reduced.

Conclusion

Circulating MAIT cells in immunocompetent individuals with RUTIs respond to bacterial stimuli with reduced efficacy, which suggests that they are involved in the pathogenesis of RUTIs.

Resistance to antibacterial therapy in pediatric febrile urinary tract infections-a single-center analysis

BACKGROUND

Febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common serious bacterial infections in childhood and require early diagnosis and antibacterial therapy. However, considerable uncertainty exists regarding the optimal antibacterial agent for primary treatment of pediatric UTIs. Additionally, patterns of susceptibility and resistance change over time and microbiological in vitro resistance is not necessarily associated with treatment failure. Here, we analyzed uropathogens, their resistance patterns, and response to antibacterial treatment in children with acute pyelonephritis.

METHODS

We used billing codes (international classification of diseases) to identify all inpatients aged 0-18 years with febrile UTIs in a German university tertiary care center from 2009 until 2018. Microbial results were retrieved from the laboratory information system for all children, and treatment regimen and treatment response were analyzed in a subgroup of children.

RESULTS

We identified 907 children with acute pyelonephritis; in 590 cases (65%) an uropathogen was detected. Escherichia coli (60.8%), Enterococcus faecalis (13.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (7.0%), Proteus spp. (5.2%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4.2%) were the most common pathogens. 353 of 436 E.coli isolates (81.0%) were susceptible or intermediate to aminopenicillin/β-lactamase-inhibitor (BLI) combinations. We examined 52 cases where E. coli was resistant to initial therapy with aminopenicillin/BLI combinations: Therapy was changed in 35 cases (67%) and left unchanged in 17 cases (33%), and we found no significant differences in C-reactive protein and leucocyte count in blood and urine between both groups after 3 days.

CONCLUSIONS

We present the spectrum of uropathogens and susceptibility test results in pediatric UTIs in a tertiary care center. Our findings suggest a satisfactory response to first-line therapy with aminopenicillin/BLI combinations.

Prevalence of Escherichia Coli and Its Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles among Patients with UTI at Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda

Background

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) remain the most common infections diagnosed in in- and outpatients as well as hospitalized patients. Current knowledge on antimicrobial susceptibility pattern for uropathogens is essential to effectively manage UTIs. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of E. coli and its antimicrobial susceptibility profiles among patients presenting with signs and symptoms of UTI in Mulago Hospital in Uganda.

Methods

Midstream urine samples were collected from 100 patients presenting with signs and symptoms of UTI at the outpatient department of Mulago Hospital. The samples were cultured, and isolates of E. coli and its antimicrobial susceptibility profiles among patients presenting with signs and symptoms of UTI in Mulago Hospital in Uganda.

Results

Out of 100 patients studied, E. coli and its antimicrobial susceptibility profiles among patients presenting with signs and symptoms of UTI in Mulago Hospital in Uganda. Escherichia coli isolates were highly susceptible to cefotaxime/clavulanic acid (100%) and nitrofurantoin (70%) but showed high resistance to cefuroxime (100%), ceftazidime (100%), nalidixic acid (90%), and ciprofloxacin (90%).

Conclusion

Escherichia coli, the predominant uropathogen, showed significant multidrug resistance to antibiotics commonly prescribed for the management of UTIs. These findings should form a basis for preliminary decision making on the appropriate line of treatment for UTIs.Escherichia coli isolates were highly susceptible to cefotaxime/clavulanic acid (100%) and nitrofurantoin (70%) but showed high resistance to cefuroxime (100%), ceftazidime (100%), nalidixic acid (90%), and ciprofloxacin (90%).

Treatment of Cystitis by Hungarian General Practitioners: A Prospective Observational Study

Background: Lower urinary tract infections (LUTIs) are amongst the most common community acquired infections with frequent antibiotic prescribing.

Objectives: To assess empiric antibiotic choice in different types of lower urinary tract infections. We also aimed to identify determinants of fluoroquinolone prescribing, as well as to determine the rate of short antibiotic courses. The frequencies of executing laboratory tests and recommending analgesics/anti-inflammatory drugs were also assessed.

Methods: A prospective observational study was performed in 19 different Hungarian primary care practices. Participating general practitioners (GPs) filled out data sheets for each patient with a suspected urinary tract infection. Details of drug use were evaluated. Comparison of different LUTI groups were made by descriptive statistics and univariate analysis. Possible determinants of fluoroquinolone prescribing were assessed by logistic regression.

Results: Data sheets of 372 patients were analyzed. The majority of patients (68.82%) had acute uncomplicated cystitis. While antibiotics were prescribed for almost every patient (uncomplicated cases: 92.58%, complicated cases: 94.83%), analgesics/anti-inflammatory drugs were recommended at a rate of 7.81% in uncomplicated, and 13.79% in complicated cystitis cases. Ciprofloxacin was the most commonly prescribed antibacterial agent in both types of cystitis. Short-term antibiotic therapy was prescribed in one third of relevant cases. Logistic regression found a weak association between fluoroquinolone use and patient’s age and presence of complicating factors.

Conclusions: Many aspects of suboptimal cystitis management were identified (e.g. unnecessarily broad spectra agents, too long antibiotic courses). In this study, patient characteristics has weakly influenced fluoroquinolone prescribing. Based on these results there is considerable room for improvement in primary care antibiotic therapy of cystitis in Hungary.

A cost-minimization analysis of treatment options for postmenopausal women with dysuria

BACKGROUND

Empiric therapy for urinary tract infection is difficult in postmenopausal women because of the higher rates of confounding lower urinary tract symptoms and differential resistance profiles of uropathogens in this population.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to determine the least costly strategy for treatment of postmenopausal women with the primary complaint of dysuria.

STUDY DESIGN

We performed a cost minimization analysis modeling the following clinical options: (1) empiric antibiotic therapy followed by urine culture, (2) urinalysis with empiric antibiotic therapy only if positive nitrites and leukocyte esterase, or (3) waiting for culture prior to initiating antibiotics. For all strategies we included nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, fosfomycin, ciprofloxacin, or cephalexin. Pathogens included Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumonaie, or Proteus mirabalis. Pathogens, resistance, treatment success, and medication side effects were specific to postmenopausal women.

RESULTS

Cost minimization modeling with TreeAge Pro assumed 73.4% of urinary tract infections were caused by Escherichia coli with 24.4% resistance to nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. With our assumptions, empiric antibiotics with nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was the least costly approach ($89.64/patient), followed by waiting for urine culture ($97.04/patient). Except for empiric antibiotics with fosfomcyin, empiric antibiotics was always less costly than using urinalysis to discriminate antibiotic use. This is due to the cost of urinalysis ($38.23), high rate of both urinary tract infection (91%), and positive urinalysis (69.3%) with dysuria in postmenopausal women and resultant high rate of antibiotic use with or without urinalysis. Options with fosfomycin were the most expensive because of the highest drug costs ($98/dose), and tornado analyses showed fosfomycin cost was the most impactful variable for model outcomes. Sensitivity analyses showed empiric fosfomycin became the least costly option if drug costs were $25.80, a price still more costly than almost all modeled baseline drug costs. This outcome was largely predicated on low resistance to fosfomycin. Conversely, ciprofloxacin was never the least costly option because of higher resistance and side effect cost, even if the drug cost was $0. We modeled 91% positive urine culture rate in postmenopausal women with dysuria; waiting for the urine culture prior to treatment would be the least costly strategy in a population with a predicted positive culture rate of <65%.

CONCLUSION

The least costly strategy was empiric antibiotics with nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, followed by waiting on culture results. Local resistance patterns will have an impact on cost minimization strategies. Empiric fosfomycin would be least costly with reduced drug costs, even at a level at which drug costs were higher than almost all other antibiotics. In a population with high posttest probability of positive urine culture, urinalysis adds unnecessary cost. Antibiotic stewardship programs should continue efforts to decrease fluoroquinolone use because of high resistance, side effects, and increased cost.

Grados M, Oteo-Iglesias J, Alós JI. Is it possible to extrapolate the rates of resistance of Escherichia coli from asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women to those of E. coli in uncomplicated community-acquired UTI?

OBJECTIVE

Treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in primary care is generally empirical without requesting urine culture and based on biased resistance data collected from selected patients, most of them having risk factors for the isolation of resistant microorganisms. In order to overcome the lack of information on the real resistance rates in uncomplicated UTI, we compared antimicrobial phenotype and genotype of Escherichia coli isolated from pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria (culture always performed) with those from women with uncomplicated acute cystitis (culture rarely performed) of different age groups.

METHODS

Between September 2017 and March 2018, 103 urines were randomly collected from pregnant women aged between 16 and 47 with asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB) (n=42), not hospitalized women in the same age range with uncomplicated acute cystitis (UAC) (n=31) and women older than 47 not hospitalized with UAC (n=30). Bacteria identification was performed using mass spectrometry and the antibiogram by broth microdilution. Genetic typification was carried out by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

RESULTS

There are no significant differences between the groups of patients in the antibiotic susceptibility. Likewise, as expected, a wide genetic diversity is observed among the strains of E. coli studied without significant differences between the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose a simple model that could provide better guidance for selection of empirical antimicrobial therapy for non-pregnant women with UAC than do generic hospital antibiogram data based on reliably extrapolating the susceptibility data of strains isolated from pregnant women with AB as representation of women with community-acquired UAC.

Fosfomycin: mechanisms and the increasing prevalence of resistance

There are challenges regarding increased global rates of microbial resistance and the emergence of new mechanisms that result in microorganisms becoming resistant to antimicrobial drugs. Fosfomycin is a broad-spectrum bactericidal antibiotic effective against Gram-negative and certain Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococci, that interfere with cell wall synthesis. During the last 40 years, fosfomycin has been evaluated in a wide range of applications and fields. Although numerous studies have been done in this area, there remains limited information regarding the prevalence of resistance. Therefore, in this review, we focus on the available data concerning the mechanisms and increasing resistance regarding fosfomycin.

Prevalence of virulence determinants and antibiotic resistance patterns of Enterococcus faecalis strains in patients with community-acquired urinary tract infections in Iran

The aim of this study was to characterize virulence factors and antibiotic resistance patterns in E. faecalis strains obtained from community-acquired urinary tract infections. A total of 70 E. faecalis isolates from Labbafinejad Hospital in Tehran were collected. Antibiotic resistance and virulence determinants were examined by phenotypic and molecular methods. Among 70 E. faecalis isolates, efba (97.1%), ace (95.7%), and gelE (94.3%) were the most prevalent virulence genes. The most common antibiotic resistance pattern was tetracycline (88.6%) and minocycline (87.1%). Multi-drug resistant phenotype was detected among 10% of them. Our results showed capability of E. faecalis strains for infection of the urinary tract in community. Involvement of virulence determinants in the pathogenesis of community acquired E. faecalis strains was proposed due to their high prevalence rates. Food producing animals were proposed as their environmental reservoirs, due to dominance of tetracycline resistance phenotype among them.

Comparing outpatient oral antibiotic use in Germany and the Netherlands from 2012 to 2016

PURPOSE

Overuse of antibiotics is of concern, but may differ between European countries. This study compares outpatient use of oral antibiotics between Germany (DE) and the Netherlands (NL).

METHODS

For DE, we used the DAPI database with information on dispensings at the expense of the Statutory Health Insurance Funds from > 80% of community pharmacies. For NL, data were obtained from the Dutch Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics. Use of oral antibiotics was estimated as defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID), except for age comparisons as packages per 1000 inhabitants annually. National time trends were assessed with linear regression, stratified for the major antibiotic classes, and individual substances.

RESULTS

From 2012 to 2016, outpatient antibiotic use was lower in NL than in DE (9.64 vs 14.14 DID in 2016) and non-significantly decreased slightly over time in both countries. In DE, dispensings of oral antibiotics to children were higher compared with NL for the age groups 2 to 5 (2.0-fold in 2016) and 6 to 14 years (2.7-fold in 2016). Use of cephalosporins was very low in NL (0.02 DID in 2016), but the second most frequently dispensed class in DE (2.95 DID in 2016).

CONCLUSION

From 2012 to 2016, outpatient use of oral antibiotics was lower in NL than in DE. Differences were primarily observed in the age groups 2 to 5 and 6 to 14 years, although the recommendations of evidence-based guidelines in both countries were in agreement.

Antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli isolates from outpatient urinary tract infections in women in six European countries including Russia

OBJECTIVES

In the Northern Dimension Antibiotic Resistance Study (NoDARS), Finland, Germany, Latvia, Poland, Russia and Sweden collected urine samples from outpatient women (aged 18-65years) with symptoms of uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) to investigate the levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among Escherichia coli isolates.

METHODS

A total of 775 E. coli isolates from 1280 clinical urine samples were collected from October 2015 to January 2017. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed and the results were interpreted according to European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) criteria.

RESULTS

Overall AMR rates to the commonly used antibiotics nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin and mecillinam (except for Germany that was missing a result for mecillinam) were 1.2%, 1.3% and 4.1%, respectively. The highest overall resistance rates were determined for ampicillin (39.6%), trimethoprim (23.8%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (22.4%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (16.7%) and ciprofloxacin (15.1%), varying significantly between countries. The rate of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was 8.7%. None of the isolates showed resistance to meropenem.

CONCLUSIONS

In most cases, low AMR rates were detected against the first-line antibiotics recommended in national UTI treatment guidelines, giving support to their future use. These results also support the European Association of Urology guidelines stating that nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin and mecillinam are viable treatment options for uncomplicated UTI.

Antibiotic-Resistant E. coli in Uncomplicated Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infection

BACKGROUND

Routine urine culture testing is not recommended for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). As a result, the antibiotic resistance patterns or the organisms causing UTIs are not adequately reflected in routine data. We studied the sensitivity of Escherichia coli (E. coli) to trimethoprim (TMP) and to cotrimoxazole (i.e., trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, TMP/SMX) in community-acquired UTI and compared the findings with the resistance data of the Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (ARS).

METHODS

General practitioners and internists in private practice prospectively recruited all of their adult patients with symptoms of a urinary tract infection from May 2015 to February 2016. Urine specimens from all patients were tested (including urine culture testing and antibiotic susceptibility) and infections were defined as uncomplicated or complicated UTIs.

RESULTS

1245 participants from 58 medical practices were enrolled in the study. Pathogenic organisms were found in the urine of 877 patients, of whom 74.5% had E. coli infections. Among the E.-coli-positive UTIs, 52.4% were classified as uncomplicated and 47.6% as complicated. The prevalence of E. coli that was resistant to TMP and to TMP/SMX in uncomplicated UTIs was 15.2% and 13.0%, respectively, compared to 25.3% and 24.4%, respectively, from all UTIs in ARS in 2015. Study participants who had previously taken antibiotics had the highest prevalence of E. coli resistance (30.9%), followed by those who had two or more UTIs within the past six months (28.9%).

CONCLUSION

E. coli with resistance to TMP was significantly less prevalent among the study patients with uncomplicated UTIs than in the routine data of the ARS. Accordingly, TMP should still be considered as an option for the treatment of uncomplicated UTIs. TMP/SMX is considered the agent of second choice because of its side effects. Surveillance systems based on routine data do not yield a representative sample for the evaluation of the resistance situation in patients with uncomplicated UTIs.

Global research output in antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens: A bibliometric analysis (2002-2016)

OBJECTIVES

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among uropathogens contributes to treatment failure. Research in AMR among uropathogens is important to establish treatment options. This study assessed global research trends in AMR among uropathogens.

METHODS

SciVerse Scopus was used to retrieve relevant documents for the period 2002-2016. Only journal articles were included in the analysis. Analysis of author keywords was carried out using VOSviewer.

RESULTS

A total of 1087 journal articles were retrieved with an h-index of 50. The number of publications increased noticeably in the past decade. Analysis of subject areas of retrieved documents showed that 275 (25.3%) articles were in molecular biology/genetics/microbiology/immunology, 197 (18.1%) were in pharmacological/therapeutic approaches for treatment of urinary tract infections and 615 (56.6%) were in epidemiology/public health. Terms such as multidrug-resistant and extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) appeared more frequently in documents published in the period 2012-2016. The mean number of authors per article was 5.3. Most active authors in this field were from Japan. The USA ranked first with 148 documents (13.6%), followed by India (97; 8.9%) and Iran (84; 7.7%). The top productive institution was Tehran University of Medical Sciences (21 publications), followed by Kobe University in Japan (20 publications). The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy ranked first with 33 publications.

CONCLUSION

Research in AMR among uropathogens showed a noticeable increase in the past decade. Reports of increasing incidence of resistance among uropathogens were published from different parts of the world. Empirical therapy should be based on updated research in AMR.

Changes in antimicrobial resistance and demographics of UTIs in pediatric patients in a single institution over a 6-year period

PURPOSE

To determine changes in antimicrobial resistance and demographics of UTIs in pediatric patients in a single institution over a 6-year period.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The current study examined outpatient urinary isolates from patients aged <18 years. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of bacteria isolated from children with UTI was performed between 2009 and 2014. The most common bacterial pathogens were determined in the following four age groups: <2 years; 2-5 years; 6-12 years; and 13-17 years. The study analyzed the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns for the six most common uropathogens: Escherichia coli, Proteus, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas and Enterococcus (Summary table). The antibiotic resistance pattern for UTI during 2009-2014 was also examined.

RESULTS

A total of 6515 urinary cultures was examined. The majority of these isolates were from female patients (66.8%). E. coli was the most common uropathogen overall, but the prevalence of E. coli was higher among females (79.5%) than males (54.9%). The biggest percentage of isolates in males was from children aged <2 years (46.1%). Conversely, the majority of isolates in females were from children aged >6 years (46.8%). Results of antimicrobial resistance for E. coli were the highest for ampicillin (70%) and lowest for meropenem (0.19%). Comparing the hospital network data from 2009 to 2014, E. coli resistance increased for ampicillin (from 47.1% to 89%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) (from 44.8% to 56%) and nitrofurantoin (from 5.3% to 15.1%). In contrast, cephalosporins have maintained low antibiotic resistance.

CONCLUSION

UTI in females was nearly twice as common than in males. E. coli remained the most common pediatric uropathogen. Although widely used in other tract infections, ampicillin was a poor empiric choice for pediatric UTIs. Cephalosporins were appropriate alternatives given their low resistance rates. A successful empirical treatment protocol should be based on local epidemiology and susceptibility rates.

Investigation of the activity of new derivatives of 1,3-diazinone-4 and their acyclic precursors with respect to bacteria of the genus Proteus

Introduction: The present paper provides a study of the activity of the new 1,3-diazinon-4 derivatives and their acyclic precursors under the laboratory cipher PYaTd1, PYaTs2, PYaTs3 and PYaTs4 against microorganisms of the genus Proteus, which is of high importance at the moment as the growing resistance of the Proteus to previously highly active antibiotics dictates the need to search for effective antimicrobial agents that meet modern safety requirements.

Materials and Methods: The study of the activity of the compounds was carried out on collection and freshly isolated strains from patients with different pathologies. The strains were identified using the BIOMIC V3 apparatus (Giles Scientific, USA) to verify genus and species identity. The strains used in the study were previously examined for susceptibility to antibacterial drugs by the Disc Method to assess the presence or absence of resistance. The activity of the new compounds was studied by the serial dilution method.

Results: The results of the study showed that the compounds PYaTd1, PYaTs2, PYaTs3 and PYaTs4 show a different activity against bacteria of the genus Proteus. The substance PYaTs2 is ineffective. With respect to strains P.mirabilis and P.rettgeri, the minimum inhibitory concentration of the compounds PYaTs3, PYaTs4 and PYaTd1 ranges from 4 μg/ml to 16 μg/ml.

Conclusion: Thus, by the average aggregate indices, regardless of the species and strain of bacteria, the most effective compound is PYaTd1, the MIC50 of which is within 10 μg/ml, which proves it to be promising and makes further development worthwhile.

Antibiotic resistance in E. coli isolates from patients with urinary tract infections presenting to the emergency department

PURPOSE

Escherichia coli urine isolates from patients presenting to the emergency department at a German tertiary care hospital were retrospectively analyzed from January 2015-March 2017 to determine antibiotic resistance patterns and patient risk factors for resistance.

METHODS

Uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) was defined as UTI in the otherwise healthy patient without relevant co-morbidities and complications. Patients were assumed to have UTI if diagnosis was made by the attending physician with conclusive dipstick results. For subgroup analysis, only patients with symptoms suggestive for UTI documented in their records were included.

RESULTS

228 patients with a UTI diagnosed by the attending physician with E. coli isolated in urine culture were included. 154/228 patients had documented symptomatic UTI, 57/154 had uncomplicated infection, 76/154 patients had cystitis, and 124/154 were female. Resistance rates of uncomplicated UTI in symptomatic patients were: ciprofloxacin 10.5%, cotrimoxazole 15.8%, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 5.3%, nitrofurantoin 0% (CLSI MICs). Previous hospitalization in the last 3 months (including patients living in a long-term care facility) was significantly correlated with resistance to ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole and amoxicillin/clav. Previous hospitalization was a strong predictor of resistance to ciprofloxacin and cotrimoxazole in multivariate analysis also. Other risk factors correlated with resistance were hematological malignancy (for cotrimoxazole) and renal transplantation (for ciprofloxacin).

CONCLUSIONS

Cotrimoxazole is still an alternative for treating uncomplicated cystitis. Previous hospitalization in the last 3 months was a strong predictor of resistance to cotrimoxazole and ciprofloxacin. Other risk factors which might help guide empirical therapy are hematological malignancy and renal transplantation.

[Urinary tract infections : What has been confirmed in therapy?]

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect approximately 150 million people worldwide per year, causing annual health costs of over three billion dollars just in the USA. Every second woman experiences at least one UTI in her lifetime, with every one in four experiencing recurrence. Uncomplicated infections like single or recurrent cystitis and pyelonephritis can be distinguished from complicated disease. UTIs in men can spread to the male glands, causing prostatitis and epididymitis. Antibiotic therapy is the standard procedure for UTIs. However, the extensive and sometimes irrational use of antibiotics for the treatment of infections has led to an increase in the incidence of multiresistant pathogens in recent years. Therefore, preventive nonantibiotic approaches are of great interest. This article provides an overview of the current management of urological infections as well as an outline of nonantibiotic preventive treatment modalities.

Prevalence of antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli from patients with suspected urinary tract infection in primary care, Denmark

BACKGROUND

Escherichia coli is the most common pathogen causing Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). Data from the current National Surveillance program in Denmark (DANMAP) may not accurately represent the prevalence of resistant E. coli in primary care, because only urine samples from complicated cases may be forwarded to the microbiological departments at hospitals for diagnostic examination. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of resistant E. coli to the most commonly used antimicrobial agents in primary care in a consecutive sample of patients from general practice.

METHODS

Observational study carried out from December 2014 to December 2015. Thirty-nine general practices from The Capital Region of Denmark included adult patients with urinary tract symptoms and suspected UTI. All urine samples were sent to the central laboratory Statens Serum Institut (SSI). Significant bacteriuria was interpreted according to the European Urinalysis Standards. Susceptibility testing was performed and interpreted according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) standards.

RESULTS

From the 39 general practices 505 patients were recruited. Completed data were obtained from 485 (96%) patients. According to the European Urinalysis Standards, 261 (54%) patients had positive bacteriuria. The most common uropathogen in patients with uncomplicated (uUTI) and complicated (cUTI) urinary tract infection was E. coli 105 (69%) and 76 (70%), respectively. Eighty-two (45%) of 181 E. coli isolates were resistant to at least one of the tested antibiotics and 50 out of 82 isolates were resistant to two or more antimicrobial agents. The highest resistance-rate was found against ampicillin 34% (95% CI 24;42) in uUTI and 36% (24;46) in cUTI. There were no differences in the distribution of resistance between uncomplicated and complicated cases. The prevalence of resistance was similar to the one reported in DANMAP 2014.

CONCLUSION

In E. coli from uUTI there is high resistance rates to antimicrobial agents commonly used in primary care. There was no difference in the distribution of resistant E. coli in suspected uUTI vs cUTI. In Denmark, data from the National Surveillance program DANMAP can guide the decision for choice of antibiotic in patients with suspected UTI seeking care in primary care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02249273 .

Automated Flow Cytometry: An Alternative to Urine Culture in a Routine Clinical Microbiology Laboratory?

The urine culture is the "gold standard" for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI) but constitutes a significant workload in the routine clinical laboratory. Due to the high percentage of negative results, there is a need for an efficient screening method, with a high negative predictive value (NPV) that could reduce the number of unnecessary culture tests. With the purpose of improving the efficiency of laboratory work, several methods for screening out the culture-negative samples have been developed, but none of them has shown adequate sensitivity (SE) and high NPV. Many authors show data about the efficacy of flow cytometry in the routine clinical laboratory. The aim of this article is to review and discuss the current literature on the feasibility of urine flow cytometry (UFC) and its utility as an alternative analytical technique in urinalysis.

The susceptibility to fosfomycin of Gram-negative bacteria isolates from urinary tract infection in the Czech Republic: data from a unicentric study

Background

Against a background of rapid increase of β-lactamase-producing or multi-resistant pathogenic bacteria and the resulting lack of effective antibiotic treatment, some older antibiotics have been tested for new therapeutic uses. One of these is fosfomycin, to which according to studies these resistant bacteria are very sensitive. Our study was designed because there is no data on the fosfomycin susceptibility rate in the Czech Republic.

Method

In this study from January 2013 to June 2014 3295 unique isolates of Gram-negative bacteria which had caused urinary tract infections were examined. The antibiotic susceptibility was measured by disk diffusion test. Both EUCAST and CLSI guidelines criteria (for fosfomycin only) were used for the antibiotic susceptibility evaluation.

Results

The most frequently tested bacterial isolates were Escherichia coli (51.3%, n = 1703), Klebsiella pneumoniae (19.4%, n = 643) and Proteus spp. (11.8%, n = 392). Among all isolates 29.0% (n = 963) were resistant to fluoroquinolones, 11.3% (n = 374) produced extended spectrum β-lactamase and 4.2% (n = 141) produced AmpC β-lactamase. The overall in vitro susceptibility was significantly higher for fosfomycin compared to the other tested per-oral antibiotics (nitrofurantoin, ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, ciprofloxacin and cefuroxime) against all tested Gram-negative rod isolates (excluding Morganella morgani and Acinetobacter spp. isolates). Fosfomycin also remained highly active against those isolates with extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production (95.8% in Escherichia coli isolates and 85.3% in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates), unlike other tested per-oral antibiotics, which showed significant (p < 0.0001) susceptibility decrease.

Conclusion

We have confirmed in the Czech Republic the very high susceptibility to fosfomycin trometamol of urinary tract infection pathogens, particularly Gram-negative rods including those producing β-lactamase.

Infecções comunitárias do trato urinário: prevalência e susceptibilidade aos antimicrobianos na cidade de Florianópolis

Objetivo: Determinar a frequência de isolamento dos uropatógenos e avaliar o perfil de sensibilidade antimicrobiana in vitro das bactérias isoladas em uroculturas de pacientes ambulatoriais atendidos em Florianópolis no ano de 2014, correlacionando tais dados com sexo e idade do paciente. Métodos: Estudo observacional, descritivo do tipo transversal, que incluiu uroculturas positivas de pacientes ambulatoriais realizadas em um único laboratório seguindo a mesma metodologia. Realizaram-se análises de estatísticas descritivas e testes de associação entre as variáveis classificatórias: sexo, idade, agente etiológico e sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos. Resultados: Foram registradas 1035 uroculturas positivas, das quais 89,66% de pacientes femininas. Microrganismos Gram-negativos foram os patógenos mais isolados, com destaque para a Escherichia coli (77,10%), principal agente causal. Proteus mirabilis foi significativamente mais prevalente no sexo masculino e o principal microrganismo isolado nas uroculturas dos meninos de 1 a 5 anos. A E. coli foi significativamente mais prevalente no sexo feminino e apresentou o perfil mais amplo de resistência. Evidenciaram-se diferenças estatisticamente significativas nas resistências às fluoroquinolonas entre os gêneros, com maiores prevalências de resistência em homens e entre as faixas etárias, com maior resistência entre idosos. Conclusões: Idade e sexo são variáveis determinantes na frequência de isolamento dos uropatógenos e na prevalência da susceptibilidade antimicrobiana; e os microrganismos mais prevalentes já não respondem satisfatoriamente a parte dos antimicrobianos amplamente utilizados. É fundamental que o médico considere tais informações no momento da decisão terapêutica e preze pelo uso racional dos antimicrobianos, sobretudo aqueles de largo espectro como as fluoroquinolonas.

A retrospective analysis of the etiologic agents and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of uropathogens isolated in the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan

Background

Urinary tract infection is one of the major public health problems. Specific population studies to understand the common etiologic agents and antibiotic susceptibility patterns are important to determine the empirical treatment of urinary tract infections. This is the first study in Bhutan to analyze the etiologic agents and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of uropathogens isolated from patients visiting Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital with the ultimate goal of guiding empirical treatment.

Methods

Hospital based (inpatients/outpatients) retrospective cross sectional study of 6030 clinically suspected patients with urinary tract infections who have submitted urine samples for culture in a 6 months period was done. Urine samples were collected and processed as per standard microbiological procedures and antibiotic susceptibility testing performed by CLSI guidelines.

Results

Significant bacteriuria were detected in 14.9 % of the total patients. The most common uropathogens isolated were Escherichia coli (79.3 %) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae. Females around the age group of 18–26 have the highest prevalence of urinary tract infection. The highest rate of antibiotic resistance was seen in amoxicillin (71.4 %) and nalidixic acid (80.3 %), and resistance were lower in nitrofuration (3.4 %) and gentamycin (17.5 %). The third generation cephalosporin resistance (which is a surrogate marker of ESBL) was 16.1 % in outpatient and 16.7 % approximately in inpatient setting.

Conclusion

Escherichia coli was the predominant uropathogen making up 79.3 % (outpatient 81.1 % and inpatient 69.5 %) of the total and its antibiotic susceptibility pattern needs to be considered for treating community-acquired UTIs empirically. The third generation cephalosporin resistance (which is a surrogate marker of ESBL) is alarmingly high among the isolates and there is need for further studies.

High prevalence of multidrug-resistance uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains, Isfahan, Iran

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most frequent infectious diseases and can occur in all age groups. Escherichia coli is the main cause of this infection. Multiple resistances to antimicrobial agents are increasing quickly in E. coli isolates and may complicate therapeutic strategies for UTI. The aim of this study was to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern and the multidrug-resistance (MDR) phenotypes in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 135 UPEC isolates were collected from both outpatients (91 isolates) and inpatients (44 isolates) between September, 2012 and February, 2013. In order to determine the MDR among UPEC isolates, we have tested 15 antimicrobial agents and antibiotic susceptibility was done by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

RESULTS

The percentage of MDR isolates (resistant to at least three drug classes such as aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, penicillins, cephalosporins, or carbapenems) was 68% in the inpatients and 61% in the outpatients. Antibiotic resistance to ampicillin, ceftazidim, nalidixic acid, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole were higher than 50%. Amikacin, nitrofurantoin, and gentamicin showed markedly greater activity (89.1%, 85.9%, and 82.4% sensitivity, respectively) than other antimicrobial agents. Resistance to meropenem did show either in outpatients or in inpatients.

INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS

The high prevalence of drug resistance among UTI patients calls for continuous monitoring of the incidence of drug resistance for appropriate empiric selection of antibiotic therapy. Empirical treatment of UTIs should be relied on susceptibility patterns from local studies.

Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli Causing Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections: A European Update for 2014 and Comparison with 2000 and 2008

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this study was to provide an update on the resistance of Escherichia coli in women with acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (UK) to mecillinam [amdinocillin (United States Adopted Name)], amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefadroxil, nitrofurantoin, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim, and to compare the results with resistance in the ECO.SENS I and II surveys in 2000 and 2008, respectively.

METHODS

The susceptibility of E. coli in France (166 isolates), Germany (133 isolates), Spain (169 isolates), Sweden (137 isolates), and the UK (124 isolates) was determined by disc diffusion according to European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) breakpoints and methodology. Resistance rates were compared using Fisher's exact test, 2-tailed, with P < 0.05 indicating statistical significance.

RESULTS

Since 2000, there has been a significant increase in resistance to cefadroxil in Germany (1% to 12%) and Spain (3% to 8%), to ciprofloxacin in Germany (2% to 21%), Spain (15% to 31%), Sweden (0% to 7%), and the UK (1% to 15%), to trimethoprim in Germany (23% to 37%), Spain (25% to 37%), Sweden (9% to 17%), and the UK (13% to 46%), to mecillinam in Spain (1% to 6.5%), and to nitrofurantoin in the UK (0% to 6%); there was also a significant decrease in resistance to nitrofurantoin in Spain (4% to 0%). Since 2008, there has been a significant increase in resistance to ciprofloxacin in Sweden (3% to 15%) and the UK (1% to 15%), and to trimethoprim (13% to 46%) and nitrofurantoin (0% to 6%) in the UK.

CONCLUSION

E. coli isolates from women with acute uncomplicated UTIs have increasing antimicrobial resistance, particularly to ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim. However, resistance to mecillinam and nitrofurantoin mostly remains low.

FUNDING

LEO Pharma.

Selecting appropriate empirical antibiotic regimens for paediatric bloodstream infections: application of a Bayesian decision model to local and pooled antimicrobial resistance surveillance data

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of weighted-incidence syndromic combination antibiograms (WISCAs) to inform the selection of empirical antibiotic regimens for suspected paediatric bloodstream infections (BSIs) by comparing WISCAs derived using data from single hospitals and from a multicentre surveillance dataset.

METHODS

WISCAs were developed by estimating the coverage of five empirical antibiotic regimens for childhood BSI using a Bayesian decision tree. The study used microbiological data on ∼2000 bloodstream isolates collected over 2 years from 19 European hospitals. We evaluated the ability of a WISCA to show differences in regimen coverage at two exemplar hospitals. For each, a WISCA was first calculated using only their local data; a second WISCA was calculated using pooled data from all 19 hospitals.

RESULTS

The estimated coverage of the five regimens was 72%-86% for Hospital 1 and 79%-94% for Hospital 2, based on their own data. In both cases, the best regimens could not be definitively identified because the differences in coverage were not statistically significant. For Hospital 1, coverage estimates derived using pooled data gave sufficient precision to reveal clinically important differences among regimens, including high coverage provided by a narrow-spectrum antibiotic combination. For Hospital 2, the hospital and pooled data showed signs of heterogeneity and the use of pooled data was judged not to be appropriate.

CONCLUSIONS

The Bayesian WISCA provides a useful approach to pooling information from different sources to guide empirical therapy and could increase confidence in the selection of narrow-spectrum regimens.

[Resistance testing for urinary tract infections. A barrier to guideline implementation]

BACKGROUND

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are among the most common reasons for antibiotic prescriptions. Due to increasing resistance rates, antibiotic therapy should be targeted and based on evidence-based recommendations. Test results and recommendations by medical laboratories have a relevant impact on the choice of antibiotics. The extent to which medical laboratories consider antibiotics recommended by evidence-based treatment guidelines in microbiological testing is unclear.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study is to assess whether guideline recommendations for antibiotic therapy of UTI are taken into account by medical laboratories in northern Germany.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A standardized and piloted questionnaire was used in our telephone survey. All microbiological laboratories in northern Germany (Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; n = 82) were asked about their standards in diagnosing and microbiological testing of urine cultures.

RESULTS

A total of 71 of the 82 contacted laboratories perform microbiological tests, whereby 40 of these participated (56 %). Most of the laboratories (43 %) routinely perform microbiological testing when bacterial counts were ≥ 10(4) colony forming units per ml (CFU/ml), 15 % ≥ 10(5) CFU/ml, 17 % ≥ 10(3) CFU/ml, and 8 % ≥ 10(2) CFU/ml. Antibiotic testing includes ciprofloxacin (95 %), cotrimoxazole (87.5 %), trimethoprim (57 %), fosfomycin (85 %), and nitrofurantoin (72 %).

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic threshold recommended in evidence-based guidelines (10(3) CFU/ml) is used only by a few laboratories. Antibiotics recommended as a first line therapy are only partly taken into account in microbiological testing. This variance in different diagnostic thresholds and microbiological testing is a barrier to guideline implementation.

Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli, a Common Human Pathogen: Challenges for Vaccine Development and Progress in the Field

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is the most common gram-negative bacterial pathogen in humans. ExPEC causes the vast majority of urinary tract infections (UTIs), is a leading cause of adult bacteremia, and is the second most common cause of neonatal meningitis. Increasing multidrug resistance among ExPEC strains constitutes a major obstacle to treatment and is implicated in increasing numbers of hospitalizations and deaths and increasing healthcare costs associated with ExPEC infections. An effective vaccine against ExPEC infection is urgently needed. The O antigen, a component of the surface lipopolysaccharide, has been identified as a promising vaccine target. With the availability of a novel bioconjugation technology it is expected that multivalent O antigen conjugate vaccines can be produced at industrial scale. Clinical proof of concept of a 4-valent O antigen conjugate vaccine is ongoing. An ExPEC vaccine effective against strains that are associated with major diseases and resistant to multiple drugs could be routinely delivered to individuals at risk of developing severe E. coli infection, such as elderly people, individuals undergoing abdominal surgery and prostatic biopsy procedures, and persons at risk of recurrent and/or complicated UTI.

Antibiotic resistance patterns of bacteria causing urinary tract infections in the elderly living in nursing homes versus the elderly living at home: an observational study

Background

Antibiotic resistance is a problem in nursing homes. Presumed urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common infection. This study examines urine culture results from elderly patients to see if specific guidelines based on gender or whether the patient resides in a nursing home (NH) are warranted.

Methods

This is a cross sectional observation study comparing urine cultures from NH patients with urine cultures from patients in the same age group living in the community.

Results

There were 232 positive urine cultures in the NH group and 3554 in the community group. Escherichia coli was isolated in 145 urines in the NH group (64 %) and 2275 (64 %) in the community group. There were no clinically significant differences in resistance.

Combined, there were 3016 positive urine cultures from females and 770 from males. Escherichia coli was significantly more common in females 2120 (70 %) than in males 303 (39 %)(p < 0.05). Enterococcus faecalis was significantly less common in females 223(7 %) than males 137 (18 %) (p < 0.05). For females, there were lower resistance rates to ciprofloxacin among Escherichia coli (7 % vs 12 %; p < 0.05) and to mecillinam among Proteus mirabilis (3 % vs 12 %; p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Differences in resistance rates for patients in the nursing home do not warrant separate recommendations for empiric antibiotic therapy, but recommendations based on gender seem warranted.