# Trends of Antibiotic Resistance Patterns and Bacteriological Profiles of Pathogens Associated with Genitourinary Infections in Secondary Healthcare Facilities in the Volta Region of Ghana

## TL;DR

This study examines antibiotic resistance in bacteria causing genitourinary infections in Ghana, revealing high resistance rates to common antibiotics.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the prevalence of multidrug-resistant pathogens in genitourinary infections in the Volta Region of Ghana.

## Key findings

- Escherichia coli was the most prevalent urogenital pathogen, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella oxytoca.
- High resistance rates were observed for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, meropenem, and cefuroxime among the isolates.
- Multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant, and pandrug-resistant strains were identified, indicating a public health concern.

## Abstract

Urogenital infections contribute greatly to both hospital- and community-acquired infections. In Ghana, the prevalence of resistance to commonly used antibiotics is relatively high. This study sought to evaluate the antibiotic sensitivity of bacterial urogenital pathogens from patient samples in a regional and district hospital in the Volta Region of Ghana. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using data obtained between January and December 2023 from Volta Regional Hospital and Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital. Bacteria were isolated from urine, urethral swabs, and vaginal swabs from 204 patients. Data on culture and sensitivity assays performed using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method were extracted and analyzed using WHONET. The most prevalent organisms isolated from the samples from both facilities were Escherichia coli (24.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (21.5%), and Klebsiella oxytoca (8.8%). The isolates were mostly resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (n = 75, 95% CI [91.8–99.9]), meropenem (n = 61, 95% CI [87.6–99.4]), cefuroxime (n = 54, 95% CI [78.9–96.5]), ampicillin (n = 124, 95% CI [61.2–77.9]), and piperacillin (n = 43, 95% CI [82.9–99.2]). Multidrug-resistant (MDR, 70 (34.1%)), extensively drug-resistant (XDR, 63 (30.7%)), and pandrug-resistant (PDR, 9 (4.3%)) strains of S. aureus, E. coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were identified from the patient samples. The study highlights the presence of high-priority resistant urogenital pathogens of public health significance to varied antibiotic groups.