title: Asymptomatic urinary tract infection among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of Hawassa Referral Hospital, Southern Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) during pregnancy may cause serious complications including pyelonephritis and delivery of premature or low-birth-weight infants. However, little is known about asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, bacterial agents, and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic of the Hawassa Teaching and Referral Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in a total of 244 pregnant women with no sign and symptom of urinary tract infection from March 2012 to September 2012. Clean catch mid-stream urine samples were collected from all study participants using sterile containers. Urine samples were cultured using standard bacteriological methods. Identification of suspected colonies and antibiotic sensitivity testing were done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 244 pregnant women, 46(18.8%) were positive for asymptomatic bacteriuria (Colony Forming Unit ≥ 105/mL). There was no difference in prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria with respect to age (p = 0.07) and trimester (p = 0.27).The most frequently isolated bacteria were coagulase negative Staphylococcus (32.6%), followed by Escherichia coli (26.1%), and Staphylococcus auerus (13%). The susceptibility rate of bacterial isolate was highest for norfloxacin (64.7%) and lowest for ampicillin (17.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high prevalence of ASB in pregnant women warrant the need to screen all pregnant women and treat those infected with appropriate antimicrobial regimens in order to reduce its complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, P,O, Box 1560, Hawassa, Ethiopia. endaletd@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Endale
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tadesse
authors.forename: Million
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teshome
authors.forename: Yared
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Merid
authors.forename: Belayhun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kibret
authors.forename: Techalew
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimelis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000652:urine; D011295:Prenatal Care; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000652:urine; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents