-
Author
-
Mbwirire, Mcdonald
-
Title
-
Uropathogens associated with urinary tract infections in Zimbabwe: A case study of Mashoko Christian Hospital, Bikita District in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe.
-
Abstract
-
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection caused by microorganisms, mostly bacteria, but sometimes fungi and, in rare circumstances, viruses. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most frequent community-acquired diseases globally, with E. coli being the most common pathogen, though underlying host characteristics such as patients' age and gender may have an impact on the incidence of causative agents. A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that can occur anywhere in the urinary tract system. The urinary tract system consists of the kidneys, ureter, bladder, and urethra. The entire study was done with the aim of looking at factors like age and gender and how they affect the prevalence of most urinary tract infections. The research was carried out at Mashoko Christian Hospital in Masvingo. Urine samples were taken from patients suspected of having urinary tract infections and were examined microscopically and microbial cultured. For both age and gender, a random sampling procedure was used. The sampling period was at least two weeks. A total of twenty-five urine samples from patients, including controls, were collected and analysed. The samples were separated into three groups: the young (20-39 years old), the middle-aged (40-59 years old), and the elderly (60 and over). Urinalysis was performed to determine if the urine samples tested positive for bacteria. The samples were examined in two stages: first, using urine dipsticks to detect the presence of nitrites, proteins, and leucocytes, and then microscopically to determine the presence of bacteria in the urine. The positive samples were cultured. Total Bacterial Counts (TBC) and Total Coliform Counts (TCC) were performed in Blood Agar and MacConkey Agar for each urine sample. Using inoculum produced from urine samples, certain types of bacteria were then isolated and identified. According to the study's findings, women had the highest frequency of UTIs (67%), while men had 33%. There were no significant differences in age groups, and there was no variation in prevalence across all age groups. However, when gender was examined independently, the incidence increased with age, with the 20-39 and 40-59 age groups having the highest prevalence.
-
Date
-
June 2024
-
Publisher
-
BUSE
-
Keywords
-
Mashoko Christian Hospital
-
Urinary Tract Infection
-
Uropathogens
-
Supervisor
-
Dr. N. Mgocheki