Urinary Tract Infections in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a Review

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections and are associated with an increased rate of antimicrobial resistance in Saudi Arabia. Better knowledge of the most common pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance patterns will be useful for creating new treatment guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched using suitable keywords to identify UTI publications until November 2022. Eligible studies were selected and analyzed. A total of 110 records were found, but only 58 articles were analyzed. Most studies were retrospective, and just a few were cross-sectional or prospective. The majority of the studies were conducted in the central region followed by the Eastern region. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. were the most common pathogens. There was a significant resistance rate against co-trimoxazole and ciprofloxacin. On the other hand, amikacin was one of the most effective antibiotics. Overall, only a few studies have been published on UTIs in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, not all regions have been represented, so the full scope of the issue is unknown. UTIs are still a major problem, and resistance has developed against commonly used antibiotics. Thus, large epidemiological studies are needed to battle the rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance.

Sensitivity Profile of Fosfomycin, Nitrofurantoin, and Co-trimoxazole Against Uropathogens Isolated From UTI Cases in a Secondary Care Center, KSA

“…The high resistance rate in ciprofloxacin in our study is in line with the findings in a study carried out in Kaiser Permanente WA, Seatle, USA, which stated that the ciprofloxacin-resistant UTI-causing strains of E. coli increased from 14.2% to 19.8% between 2015 and 2021 [ 16 ]. Comparable research conducted in Saudi Arabia revealed that bacteria were highly resistant to several routinely used antimicrobials, including ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and third-generation cephalosporins [ 17 ].…”

Prevalence of urinary tract infections in pregnant women and antimicrobial resistance patterns in women in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a retrospective study

“…There is a greater prevalence of UTIs in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women. UTIs represent a major health problem in Saudi Arabia; they account for 10% of all infections in the country and are considered the second most common reason for emergency department admissions [ 4 ].…”

“…The World Health Organization (WHO) and local guidelines recommend the use of nitrofurantoin and cotrimoxazole as first-line therapies. As antimicrobial susceptibility patterns change rapidly, new resistant strains are emerging, and updates to these guidelines are needed periodically [ 4 ].…”

Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns of Urinary Tract Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study from Southwestern Saudi Arabia

“…Simple UTIs are more common and predictable, and the bacteria responsible for these infections are typically treatable. Escherichia coli is reported to account for approximately 80–90% of UTIs [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”

“…In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), UTIs significantly burden the healthcare system, constituting 10% of all infections and ranking as the second most common cause of emergency department admissions [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 , 9 ]. Women, in particular, are susceptible to UTIs, with approximately 60% estimated to experience at least one UTI in their lifetime, making them more prone to these infections compared to men [ 9 ].…”