Bacteriological profile and antibiotic resistance of isolated urogenital tract bacteria at Laboratoire National de Santé Publique de Brazzaville in 2021

Urogenital tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections in men at different stages or phases of their lives. They are increasingly a reason for consultation in hospitals, both inpatient and outpatient. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains is a serious problem and the greatest challenge in public health care. The present study aimed to assess the bacteriological profile and antibiotic resistance of bacteria isolated from the urogenital tract of different patients. A total of 483 positive urine samples and 83 positive semen samples were obtained. Findings revealed that Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli were the most isolated species, with rates of 31.57% and 28.94%, respectively. Thus, the analysis of β-lactam resistance phenotypes in the Enterobacteriaceae showed 76 strains (28%), presenting positive synergy tests characteristic of ESBL-producing bacteria. This phenotype was found in four (4) bacterial species, including E. cloacae (57.4%), K. pneumoniae (35.71%), E. coli (21.42%), C. kozeri (20%), and K. ozanae (10%). The carbapenemase phenotype was found in all Enterobacteriaceae except C. freundii. The penicillinase phenotype frequencies were distributed as follows: E. coli (56.34%), P. mirabilis (33.33%), E. cloacae (25%), C. kozeri (30%), C. freundii (15%), P. vulgaris (13.33%), K. pneumoniae (12%), and K. ozanae (2%). The frequency of isolation of bacteria producing low levels of cephalosporinase has been observed at a high rate in P. mirabilis (60%) and E. coli (33.75%). The low rate was observed in E. cloacae (19.73%), P. vulgaris (6.66%), K. pneumoniae (6%), K. ozanae (6%), C. kozeri (5%), E. aerogenes (2.63%) and C. freundii (0%). Then, high level cephalosporinase was only observed in E. coli (11.82%), E. cloacae (6.58%), K. pneumoniae (6%), and K. ozanae (6%). Therefore, all the bacterial species isolated showed a high level of bacterial multidrug resistance with rates above 50%.