Abstract:
Background; A urinary tract infection (UTI) encompasses a wide range of clinical
manifestations, such as prostatitis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, urosepsis, and catheter associated UTI (CA-UTI). Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a significant
global health burden, affecting an estimated 250 million individuals annually with
diverse causative agents. The study aims to explore the burden of Urinary Tract
Infections at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua over a 1-year period (2023).
Methods; A hospital based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at
the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua. Data for the study was collected from
the bacteriology unit, entered into Microsoft excel and analyzed using SPSS
statistical package.
Results; A total of 584 respondents were analyzed, revealing a higher prevalence
of UTIs in females (78.6%) compared to males (21.4%). The data indicated that
individuals between 0-35 years exhibited the highest prevalence, emphasizing the
vulnerability of younger adults to UTIs. Additionally, the correlation analysis
identified Escherichia coli as the most prevalent organism causing UTIs,
accounting for 106 cases, followed by Klebsiella oxytoca and Klebsiella species.
Conclusion; The findings emphasize the need for targeted healthcare strategies to
address the high incidence of UTIs, especially in younger age groups. The
predominance of Escherichia coli as the leading causative organism underscores
the necessity for effective diagnostic and treatment protocols to combat these
infections.
