A preliminary report on the susceptibility to aminoglycosides of Escherichia coli isolated from the community-acquired urinary tract infections in adults in south-east Poland

Abstract

World-wide, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are an important clinical problem. In such, the most frequently isolated uropathogen is Escherichia coli. In the treatment of uncomplicated UTIs, e.g. cystitis, the widely used antibiotics are nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, fosfomycin trometamol or ciprofloxacin, while the treatment of pyelonephritis requires the usage of antibiotics with a broader spectrum of activity, such as cephalosporins of the 3rd and 4th generation, aminoglycosides or even carbapenems. The aim of this study was to assess the susceptibility to aminoglycosides (such as amikacin, gentamicin, netilmicin and tobramycin) of E. coli isolated from UTIs in adult community patients living in Lubelszczyzna. We found that all of the 86 strains of E. coli encountered were susceptible to amikacin. Moreover, the prevalence of susceptibility to tobramycin, gentamicin or netilmicin among the tested strains was found to be 89,5%, 90,7% or 94,2%, respectively. The data obtained in the present study shows the high susceptibility to aminoglycosides of E. coli isolated from the community-acquired UTIS in adults. These data, together with that derived from current literature, indicate that aminoglycosides, when employed in combination therapy with other antibiotics, may still be very useful group of antibacterial agents in the treatment of UTI’s in Poland.