Abstract:

Background: High glucose levels in urine of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) creates conductive environment for bacteria growth resulting into urinary tract infection (UTI can result into complications which worsen DM.

Methodology: A cross-section study was conducted involving 268 patients with DM attending diabetic clinics in Mwanza. Demographic and clinical information was collected by using standardized questionnaire. Midstream urine from patients with diabetes mellitus was collected, send to CUHAS-MPL for processing to identify pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles basing on standard operating procedures. Data was analyzes using STATA version 13 software according to the objectives of the study.

Results: The prevalence of UTI among 268 diabetic patients was 27.24 % resulting into 81 bacterial isolates. Eight patients had dual bacterial infections. The most common bacterial were E. coli (32.88%) and CNS 24 (24%), majority of them were found to be resistant to Ampicillin (50-100%) and Contrimoxazole (40-100%), and more sensitive to Meropenem, Piperacilin-tazobactum, Ceftriaxone and Nitrofurantoin. The proportion of ESBL among members in the family Enterobacteriaceae was 15.6%. UTI was significantly more among women (34.08%) compared to males (13.48%); p-values < 0.001.

Conclusion and recommendation: Prevalence of UTI was high (27.24%) and more among women. The most commonly isolated bacteria were E. coli and CNS, and the most resistant drugs were Ampicillin and Contrimoxazole. Routine screening of patients with DM should be introduced so as guide rational antimicrobial therapy.

Significance of the study: Information on the magnitude of UTI, pathogens implicated antimicrobial susceptibility profiles among patients with DM was obtained so as to guide evidence based management.