Bacteriological Profile of Urinary Tract Infections in Diabetic Patients at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna State

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) occur with higher frequency and severity in diabetic patients due to immunosuppression and urinary glucose facilitating bacterial growth. This study described the bacteriological profile and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of UTI causative agents in diabetic patients attending Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Kaduna State, North West Nigeria. Midstream urine samples from 90 diagnosed diabetic patients presenting with UTI symptoms were processed by standard urine culture and sensitivity methods. Significant bacteriuria was defined as colony counts exceeding 10^5 CFU/mL. Isolates were identified biochemically, and susceptibility testing was performed by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. The most frequently isolated organisms were E. coli (38%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (24%), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (16%), Enterococcus faecalis (12%), and Proteus mirabilis (10%). Resistance rates to first-line UTI antibiotics were notably high: 71 percent resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanate and 58 percent to co-trimoxazole. Nitrofurantoin and imipenem retained the highest efficacy across isolates. Female gender, glycated haemoglobin above 7.5 percent, and duration of diabetes exceeding five years were significant predictors of UTI occurrence. These findings emphasize the need for individualized antibiotic therapy guided by culture and sensitivity results in diabetic UTI management. Keywords: urinary tract infection, diabetes mellitus, bacteriological profile, Zaria, antibiotic resistance.