Occurrence of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria amongst Inmates of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Calabar, Nigeria

Aims: To determine the occurrence and prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, influence of gender and duration of illness on the prevalence of this infection among inmates of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Calabar.

Study Design: This was a cross sectional study. Ethical approval was obtained, consent forms were signed by the patients, questionnaires were also administer followed by collection and processing of clean catch mid-stream urine specimens.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Calabar, Nigeria between August, 2010 and September, 2011.

Sample: Urine samples from two hundred (200) inmates and one hundred (100) apparently healthy staff of the same hospital (control subjects).

Methodology: Urine samples were collected in sterile universal bottles and analyzed using standard laboratory diagnostic techniques and cultured using Lee and Williams technique. The modified Kirby-Bauer sensitivity testing technique was used for antimicrobial testing of the isolates.

Results: Significant bacteriuria was established in 60(30%) of the inmates while only 8(8%) of the control subjects had bacteriuria. The difference in infection between the inmates and the control subjects was statistically significant (P = 0.001). Females 40(40%) were more infected than male subjects 20 (20%) but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.052). Inmates with 16-20 weeks of duration of mental disease had the highest level of infection 4(40%) while inmates with 1-5 weeks of duration of mental disease had the lowest level of infection 12(28%) and this was statistically significant (P = 0.001). The most common urinary pathogens isolated amongst both the test and control subjects were Escherichia coli (34) followed by Proteus spp (14) while Staphylococcus saprophyticus was the least isolated organism.

Conclusion: This work has shown that asymptomatic bacteriuria is common among inmates of Federal Neuropsychiatric hospital, Calabar and the need to put in place strategies to control this infection among this category of patients in the study area.