ABSTRACT: This research work titled “Studies on the Occurrence of Urinary Tract Infections in Females” aimed at determining the occurrence of urinary tract infections and common bacteria pathogens responsible for the urinary tract infections. Microbial techniques such as Gram staining, biochemical test and urinalysis tests were used in identification and characterization of the micro-organisms from the study it was observed that sample 1 had the highest colony forming units of 3.6 x 102 = 360.
The bacteria isolated include coryne bacterium Spp, vibrio cholera, legionella pneumophila, staphylococci and micrococci luteus. The study therefore recommends routine screening for UTIs among patients and that the appropriate antimicrobials are administered after sensitivity tests have been carried out to prevent and treat urinary tract infections respectively.
Studies on the Occurrence of Urinary Tract Infections in Females
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Urinary tracts infections occur at different ages and among both sexes, but its incidence in females are higher than that of males, considering the female urethra, its proximity to the anus, and hormonal activities. It is one of the most common bacterial infections encountered by clinicians in developing countries including Kenya(Dulczac and Kirk, 2005).
A complicated UTI describes infections in urinary tracts with structural or functional abnormalities. A urinary tract infection may involve only the lower urinary tract, in which case it is known as a bladder infection, which means the infection is confined to the bladder and urethra, this is much the same as cystitis (Yildizet al., 2007). Alternatively, it may involve the upper urinary tract, in which case it is known as pyelonephritis, an infection that affects a kidney and/or tube called a ureter (Riccabona, 2003).
It causes flank pain which is a pain in the side of the tummy (abdomen), often coming from a kidney. If the urine contains significant bacteria but there are no symptoms, the condition is known as asymptomatic bacteriuria. If a urinary tract infection involves the upper tract, and the person has diabetes mellitus, is pregnant, is male, or immuno compromised, it is considered complicated (Salvatore et al., 2011).
Since the uterus sits directly on the top of the bladder, the increased weight of the uterus, as it grows, can block the drainage of urine from the bladder which results in an infection. However, other factors include upper extremities and increased urinary urethral recurrence as well as reduced bladder size due to uterine contraception which increases the filtration rate thus stressing on the kidneys.
Studies on the Occurrence of Urinary Tract Infections in Females
1.2 Statement of Problem
Urinary tract infections (UTI) are some of the most common infections of adulthood (Jakobsonet al., 1999). Since most of the uropathogens are of faecal origin, there is fear that the high levels of antibiotic resistance demonstrated for the enteric bacteria may also exist among the uropathogens (Farajniaet al., 2009).
