Isolation of Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae from Urogenital Samples of Patients with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in North central Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is one of the most prevalent gynaecological abnormalities associated with the female reproductive organs and infertility among women in the reproductive ages. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria isolated from patients with PID attending three hospitals in Niger State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 390 samples; endocervical swabs (ECS) and urine samples were collected from 390 patients, using sterile swab sticks and sample containers. Screening for the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli was done using the streak method of inoculation on Nutrient agar and Macconkey agar. Isolates of K. pneumoniae and E. coli were identified through Gram staining and other biochemical tests. The antibiotic susceptibility profile of the isolates to ten (10) commonly prescribed antibiotics was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton agar. Results: A total of 51(21.3%) and 57 (23.8%) K. pneumoniae and E. coli isolates were obtained from both ECS and urine respectively. The antibiogram showed that 35(68.6%) K. pneumoniae isolates and 32(56.1%) E. coli isolates out of 108 bacteria isolated, expressed multidrug-resistant characteristics, and were resistant to more than three (3) classes of antibiotics. The multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli exhibited resistance above 70% to ofloxacin, nalidixic acid, ampicillin, gentamicin, pefloxacin, streptomycin and cephalexin. Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed a high presence of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) patients attending tertiary hospitals in North Central Nigeria, hence there is a need for public health workers, to create awareness on the misuse of antibiotics, to prevent and curtail treatment failure due to antibiotic resistance.