Asymptomatic Urinary Tract infection in Pregnant and Non-pregnant Women in the Limbe Health District of Cameroon: A Phenotypic and Biochemical analytic study

Background: Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy is associated with significant maternal and fetal risks. However, there seem to be a dearth of information of its prevalence in our community. This study investigated the prevalence of the etiology and antibiotic susceptibility profile of bacterial agents incriminated in urinary tract infection (UTI) in pregnant and non- pregnant women. The association between leukocyte esterase, nitrite, serum creatinine and asymptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) was assessed. Methods A total of 150 urine and blood samples were collected (75 pregnant and 75 non-pregnant) and analyzed using standard microbiological and clinical chemistry methods for detection of isolates and their antibiotic sensitivity and serum creatinine level, respectively. Data obtained was analyzed using the SPSS data package; the Chi-square (X 2 ) test was used to examine significant differences at 5% significance level. Results The overall prevalence of asymptomatic UTI was 30%, while the prevalence in pregnant and non-pregnant women was 29.3% and 30.7%, respectively. Gram positive organisms were more prevalent (77.6%) than gram negative organisms (22.4%). The most prevalent organism was S. aureus (20.1%), while Enterococci (2.1%) was the least prevalent. No statistically significant association existed between serum creatinine and asymptomatic UTI. Leukocyte esterase was a common indicator for UTI and was statistically significant in non-pregnant women (P=0.009). Ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone and amoxiclav were the most effective antibiotics (100%) against most isolates. However, some isolates demonstrated high resistance to cefixime and ampicillin, respectively (100%). Conclusion Asymptomatic UTI is a problem in pregnant and non-pregnant women in our environment, with a majority of the cases attributed to Gram positive bacteria. Resistance to some of the antibiotics currently employed in the treatment of this infection was remarkable. The use of biochemical indicators in the diagnosis of UTI in our environment should be done with caution. These findings, therefore, have epidemiological and clinical significance, and calls for more attention in the management of UTI.