Comparative Analysis of Etiologic Agents, Associated Risk Factors, and Antibiotic Susceptibility
Pattern of Urinary Tract Infections Among Reproductive-Age Females Attending the Logbaba Dis-
trict Hospital, Douala, Cameroon
Ambe Fabrice Ngwa1-3*, Ekwi Damian Nsongmayi4, Sirri Kelley Ambe3, Tanyi Pride Bobga1,2, Bertrand Ngwa Sangwe6, Bih Vanessa Tita3,6 and Ebai Christabel Ashu5
1Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science, University of
Buea, Cameroon
2Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University
of Buea, Cameroon
3School of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, Fomic Polytechnic University, Buea,
Cameroon
4Department of Biomedical and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of
Ebolowa, Cameroon
5Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science,
University of Douala, Cameroon
6Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bamenda,
Cameroon
*Corresponding Author: Ambe Fabrice Ngwa, Department of Microbiology and
Parasitology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Cameroon.
Received:
August 11, 2025; Published: May 29, 2026
Abstract
Background: This study assessed the etiologic profile, antibiotic susceptibility pattern, and associated risk factors of UTIs among reproductive-age females attending the Logbaba District Hospital, Douala.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to July 2023, recruiting 259 females using convenient sampling. Sociodemographic and risk factors information was obtained using a structured questionnaire. Mid-stream urine samples were cultured on Cystine Lactose Electrolyte Deficient media, and isolates were identified using API 20. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed using a modified Kirby-Bauer susceptibility testing technique. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to examine factors associated with UTIs (p-value < 0.05 was considered significant).
Results: The overall prevalence of UTIs among reproductive-age females was 82/259 (31.66%). Ages ranging from 21 - 30 years (AOR: 2.53, 1.32 - 4.43, p = 0.006) and 31 - 40 years (AOR: 0.19, 0.14 - 0.54; p < 0.0001), student (AOR: 1.8, 1.21 - 2.75; p = 0.010), history of UTI (AOR: 5.34, 1.86 - 18.15; p = 0.03), symptomatic (AOR = 2.86, 1.78 - 4.67, p <0.0001) and secondary education (AOR: 0.13, 0.08 - 0.32; p < 0.0001) were predictors to UTI. Klebsiella Pneumoniae was the most frequent species 27 (32.9%), followed by E coli 22(26.8%), Staphylococcus aureus 16 (19.5%), CONS 8 (9.8%), Proteus mirabilis 6 (7.3%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 3(3.7%). Majority of the isolates were sensitive to Cefotaxime (87.80%), Imipenem (85.7%), Ofloxacin (76.83%), Ceftriaxone (75.61%), Ciprofloxacin (74.39%), Gentamicin (71.95%) and Doxycycline (69.51%), but resistant to Amoxicillin (51.22%), cotrimoxazole (47.56%) and Erythromycin (31.71%). All the isolates showed multidrug resistance (100%), and Klebsiella Pneumoniae and E coli were the most multidrug resistant species.
Conclusion: The high prevalence of UTIs and multidrug-resistant strains highlights the need for targeted antimicrobial selection to improve treatment outcomes in this population.
Keywords: Etiologic Agents; Antibiotic Susceptibility; Reproductive Age Females; Risk Factors; Urinary Tract Infection (UTI); Logbaba District Hospital
References
- Sobel JD. “Vulvovaginal candidiasis”. Lancet 9577 (2007): 1961-1971.
- Mbim E N., et al. “Prevalence of Vaginal Candidiasis among female students of a Hostel in the University of Calabar, Calabar”. Applied Life Sciences International3 (2017): 1-7.
- Ferrer J. “Vaginal candidiasis epidemiological and etiological factors”. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics (2000): 200-203.
- Al-Ahmadey ZZ and Mohamed SA. “Vulvovaginal candidiasis: Agents and its virulence Factors”. Microbiology Research International 2 (2014): 28-37.
- Emeribe AU., et al. “Prevalence of Vulvovaginal candidiasis among non pregnant women attending a tertiary health care facility in Abuja, Nigeria”. Research and Reports in Tropical Medicine 6 (2015): 37-42.
- Ray D., et al. “Prevalence of Candida glabrata and its response to boric acid vaginal suppositories in comparison with oral fluconazole in patients with diabetes and vulvovaginal candidiasis”. Diabetes Care 2 (2007): 312-317.
- Nelson S. “Vaginal yeast infection overview”. E-medicine Health (2015): 1-3.
- Sobel JD., et al. “Vulvovaginal candidiasis: Epidemiology, diagnostic, and therapeutic considerations”. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 178 (1998): 203-211.
- De Leon EM., et al. “Prevalence and risk factors for vaginal Candida colonization in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes”. BMC Infectious Diseases 2 (2002): 1.
- Geiger AM., et al. “Chronic vulvovaginal candidiasis: characteristics of women with Candida albicans, C. glabrata and no Candida”. Genitourin Medical5 (1995): 304-307.
- Rathod SD., et al. “Epidemiologic Features of Vulvovaginal candidiasis among reproductive-age women in India”. Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology (2012): 85-90.
- Eckert LO., et al. “Vulvovaginal candidiasis: Clinical manifestations, risk factors, management algorithm”. Obstetrics and Gynecology 92 (1998): 757-765.
- Akingbade OA., et al. “Prevalence of Candida albicans amongst women attending health centers in Abeokuta, Ogun state, Nigeria”. New York Science Journal 6 (2013): 53-59.
- Okonkwo NJ., et al. “Prevalence of vaginal candidiasis among pregnant Women in Nnewi Town of Anambra State, Nigeria”. African Research and Review 4 (2010): 539-548.
- Odds F and Bernaerts R. “CHROMagar Candida, a new differential isolation medium for presumptive identification of clinically important Candida species”. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 32 (1994): 1923-1029.
- James GD., et al. “Prevalence and antifungal susceptibility profile of vulvovaginal candidiasis amongst women of reproductive age in Jos metropolis Nigeria”. World Journal of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences 3 (2017): 152-156.
- Jindal N., et al. “An epidemiological study of vulvovaginal candidiasis in women of childbearing age”. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology 25 (2007): 175-176.
- Jos, Nigeria (2019).
- Rajendran K F. “A study of isolation and identification of non albicans Candida species from clinically suspected cases of vulvovaginitis”. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences 12 (2014): 147-159.
- Maikenti IJ., et al. “The Prevalence of Vaginal Candida Colonization among Female Students in Bingham University”. British Microbiology Research Journal2 (2016): 1-7.
- Salvi M. “Prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis in females in the reproductive age group”. International Journal of Reproduction Contraceptive Obstetric and Gynecology 2 (2019): 647-651.
- Kristeen C. “Why do yeast infections return?” Healthline (2018): 1-7.
- Spinillo AC., et al. “Effect of antibiotics use on the prevalence of symptomatic Vulvovaginal candidiasis”. American Journal of Gynecology (1999): 164-171.
- Foxman B., et al. “Frequency and response to vaginal symptoms among white and African American women: results of a random digit dialing survey”. Journal of Women’s Health 7.9 (1998): 1167-1174.
- Bauters TG., et al. “Prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis and susceptibility to fluconazole in women”. Americal Journal of Obstetric and Gynecology 3 (1992): 56-74.
- Reed BD. “Risk factors for Candida vulvovaginitis”. Obstetric and Gynecology Survey 47.8 (1992): 551-560.
- Nelson M., et al. “Prevalence of vaginal candidiasis and determination of the occurrence of Candida species in pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of Thika District Hospital, Kenya”. Open Journal of Medical Microbiology 3 (2013): 264-272.
Citation
Copyright