Incidence Pattern, Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern and Associated Risk Factors of Bacterial Uropathogens Among General Population of Pakistan.

Purpose: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are of the most common bacterial infections in Pakistan. Rapid increase in antibiotic resistance has resulted in a limited number of treatment options available. This study aimed to determine the incidence patterns of uropathogens, their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and risk factors for UTI among the general population. Methods: This laboratory-based cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2020 and March 2021. Urine samples were collected, cultured and bacterial isolates were identified. Bacterial isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. Data regarding socio-demographic characteristics, clinical features and risk factors were collected using structured questionnaire. Results: Of 459 urine samples, 299 (65.1%) showed positive urine cultures (105 CFU/mL). Both gram-negative and gram-positive isolates were obtained, with a prevalence of 230 (76.9%) and 69 (23%), respectively. Escherichia coli was the predominant bacteria isolated 146 (48.8%), and it showed most susceptibility to cefoperazone and imipenem. Most of the gram-negative isolates were resistant towards ampicillin. Most risk factors were not significantly associated with UTI, except for age, income, and previous history of hospitalization. Conclusion: UTI is an important problem in the study area, with a prevalence rate of 65%. All bacterial isolates developed resistance towards most antibiotics available on the market. Therefore, there is a need to develop management strategies based on susceptibility pattern of uropathogens. Additionally, proper public education regarding causes of disease transmission and control strategies is required.

Diet analysis of small mammal pests: A comparison of molecular and microhistological methods.

Knowledge of what pest species are eating is important to determine their impact on stored food products and to plan management strategies accordingly. In this study, we investigated the food habits of 2 rodents, Rattus rattus (ship rat) and Mus musculus castaneus (house mouse) as well as an insectivore, Suncus murinus (shrew), present in human dwellings. Both a microhistological approach and a DNA barcoding approach were used in the present study. Following DNA extraction, amplification was performed using group-specific primers targeting birds, plants and invertebrates. Resulting polymerase chain reaction products were sequenced and analyzed to identify the different prey species present in the gut contents. The findings from the application of both techniques were in agreement, but the detection of prey type with each technique was different. The DNA barcoding approach gave greater species-level identification when compared to the microhistological method, especially for the invertebrate and avian prey. Overall, with both techniques, 23 prey taxa were identified in the gut contents of the 3 species, including 15 plants, 7 insects and a single bird species. We conclude that with a selection of suitable "barcode genes" and optimization of polymerase chain reaction protocols, DNA barcoding can provide more accurate and faster results. Prey detection from either technique alone can bias the dietary information. Hence, combining prey information of both microhistological analysis and DNA barcoding is recommended to study pest diet, especially if the pest is an omnivore or insectivore species.