Abstract

nfections caused by Escherichia coli have become a significant worldwide public health problem. The antibiotic resistance of E. coli isolated from the urine of patients of Omdurman Teaching Hospital, Sudan was investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial sensitivity of all the non serotyped urinary isolated E. coli. The antibiotic sensitivity test was carried out using antibiotic impregnated multi disc containing eight different antibiotics (Amikacin, Ciproflaxacin, Ceftriaxone, Co-amoxiclav, Imipenem, Norfloxacin and Cotrimoxazole). A total of eighty-six E. coliisolates were tested during the investigation. The E. coli isolated exhibited variations in their resistance pattern to the various antibiotics. Generally, no E. coli was resistant to all tested antibiotics, no E. coli isolate was also resistant to only one or a single antibiotic and only two isolates were completely sensitive to all the antibiotics used. The E. coli showed the highest resistance to Cotrimoxazole, Co-amoxiclav, Cipro-floxacin and Norfloxacin. Antimicrobial resistance is a local as well as a global problem and the emergence of multidrug resistance will hinder the therapeutic options, hence monitoring resistance is of paramount importance. The indiscriminate use and misuse of antibiotics should therefore be discouraged. The future usefulness of these drugs will however depend on effective interventions to halt the selection and spread of resistance among enteric organisms.

Key words: Escherichia coli, antimicrobial sensitivity, emergence of resistant strains.