Similarities in Bacterial Uropathogens and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile in Diabetics and Their Non-Diabetic Caregivers at a National Diabetes Management and Research Centre, Accra-Ghana

Background: Diabetes mellitus has some damaging effects on the genitourinary system and has been found to have adverse effects on the host immune system, resulting in higher risk of infections including urinary tract infections (UTI). Incidences of UTI caused by bacteria have been increasingly reported globally and the abuse of antibiotics leading to evolving resistant strains of antibiotics is a public health challenge for the management of this condition. Information on the difference in types of bacterial agents causing UTI in diabetic patients and non-diabetic individuals, and their susceptibility profiles, will facilitate effective management among these groups of patients. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the difference in prevalence of UTI, the causative bacteria, and their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles in diabetic patients and non-diabetic individuals at a diabetes management center. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted amongst 100 diagnosed diabetic patients and 100 non-diabetic individuals. Urine sample was collected aseptically and analyzed microbiologically for the presence of urinary tract bacterial pathogens. Drug susceptibility testing was conducted on the isolates by the Kirby Bauer method to ascertain the antibiotic susceptibility patterns. Results: Among the diabetic and non-diabetic individuals, urinary tract bacterial pathogens were observed in 28.0% and 26.0% of samples, respectively. The organisms were in the following proportions for diabetic and non-diabetic individuals, respectively: E. coli (14/28, 50% and 8/26, 30.7%), S. aureus (2/28, 7.1% and 4/26, 15.4%), K. pneumoniae (4/28, 14.3% and 8/26, 30.7%), K. ozoenae (2/28, 7.14% and 0/26, 0%), K. oxytoca (0/28, 0% and 4/26, 15.4%) and C. urealyticum (6/28, 21.4% and 2/26, 7.69%). The difference between the proportions of bacteria isolated was, however, not statistically significant (p-value = 0.894). Bacteria isolated from both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals were highly susceptible to most of the antibiotics tested, especially nitrofurantoin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, and cefotaxime. Conclusion: This study has shown that similarities exist in prevalence of UTI, the causative bacteria, and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns amongst diabetic patients and non-diabetic individuals at a diabetes management center. These data will help in the management of UTI among these individuals.