Bacterial Species Causing Urinary Tract Infections in Tobruk, Libya: A Contemporary Epidemiological and Analytical Investigation

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) remain among the most prevalent bacterial infections worldwide, posing significant clinical and economic burdens. This study aims to assess the contemporary distribution of uropathogens and their antimicrobial resistance patterns among patients in Tobruk, Libya. A total of 200 urine samples were collected from symptomatic patients in 2021 at Al-Shifa Medical Center. The findings indicate that Staphylococcus aureus (33.6%) was the predominant isolate, followed by Escherichia coli (31.5%) and Klebsiella spp. (26.2%). This deviates from the global norm, where E. coli is typically dominant. Females were significantly more affected (82.1%) than males (17.9%), and high infection rates were observed among children, young adults, and the elderly. These trends underscore the importance of regional surveillance, evidence-based antibiotic policies, and targeted public health strategies to manage UTIs effectively. Keywords: Urinary tract infections, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, Tobruk, Libya. Objectives- To identify the most frequently isolated bacterial species responsible for UTIs in Tobruk, Libya.- To analyze the distribution of UTI cases by gender and age group.- To evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the isolated pathogens.