ASYMPTOMATIC SIGNIFICANT BACTERIURIA AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN ADO-EKITI, EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

Microbiological culture examination of urine samples from 502 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic resulted in the isolation of seven genera of bacterial species. They were Staphylococcus aureus 16 (21.3%), Escherichia coli 12 (16.0%), Staphylococcus spp. 11(14.7%), Klebsiella spp. 8 (10.7%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7 (9.8%), Streptococcus faecalis 6 (8.0%), and Citrobacter spp. 1 (1.3%). Asymptomatic significant bacteriuria occurred in 16 (12.22%), pyuria in 10 (2.0%) while significant bacteriuria with pyuria occurred in 1(0.2%). The antibiogram indicated that ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid were in that order the most effective of the antibiotics tested. All isolates showed multiple resistance to most of the antibiotics tested. Plasmid DNA was detected in Ps. aeruginosa and E. coli with an estimated molecular weight of between 4.5 and 6.5 kb. The result indicated a significant rise in the frequency of S. aureus in asymptomatic bacteriuria. Key Words: Asymptomatic bacteriuria, urinary tract infections, pregnant women African Journal Of Clinical And Experimental Microbiology Jan 2004 Vol.5 No.1 64-7