Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns of Bacteria Isolated from the Urinary Tract of Pregnant Women in a Health Institution in the Colombian Caribbean

Authors

  • Yolima Berena Pertuz Meza Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia
  • Manuel Molina Mariano ESE Alejandro Próspero Reverand, Colombia
  • Cindy Marcela Mercado Pineda Clínica Especializada en la Concepción, Colombia
  • Elvis Buelvas León Dusakawi EPS, Riohacha, Colombia
  • Ana Carolina Serpa Silva Institución Educativa Departamental de Algarrobo, Magdalena, Colombia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.42.02.784.659

Keywords:

Eschericha coli, infection, urinary, trend, pregnant women, bacterial resistance

Abstract

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) rank among the most frequent conditions affecting
pregnant women, consequently posing a significant risk to both mother and fetus.
Objective: To compare bacterial resistance trends and antimicrobial susceptibility in urine cultures
from pregnant women treated at a healthcare institution in Sincelejo, Colombia, between 2020 and
2022.
Methods: A descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 330 urine
samples from pregnant women were analyzed. Resistance levels were calculated along with their
95% confidence intervals (CI95%) using the exact Clopper-Pearson method, which is appropriate
for small sample sizes. To assess temporal trends, penalized logistic regression (Firth model) was
applied, including only antibiotics with data available for at least two consecutive years. 
Results: Notably, Escherichia coli (76%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae ssp. pneumoniae (10%) were
the most frequently isolated microorganisms. In this regard, E. coli showed the highest resistance
rates to sulfonamides and β-lactams. No statistically significant changes in resistance probability
were identified for most evaluated combinations throughout the study period.
Conclusion: Penicillins and cephalosporins remain appropriate first-line empirical options for
treating UTIs in pregnant women, supported by a favorable local susceptibility profile.

Author Biographies

  • Yolima Berena Pertuz Meza, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

    Bacterióloga. Epidemióloga. Docente investigadora, Universidad Cooperativa de
    Colombia. yolima.pertuz@campusucc.edu.co. yoliprme@yahoo.com.
    http//:orcid.org/0000-0001-6928-4249

  • Manuel Molina Mariano, ESE Alejandro Próspero Reverand, Colombia

    Médico. Epidemiólogo. Magíster en Salud Pública. Médico, ESE Alejandro Próspero
    Reverand. manuelkmolina@gmail.com. http//:orcid.org/0000-0002-7438-2166

  • Cindy Marcela Mercado Pineda, Clínica Especializada en la Concepción, Colombia

    Médico, Clínica Especializada en la Concepción, Sincelejo (Colombia).
    cindy.mercadop@campusucc.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3406-5796

  • Elvis Buelvas León, Dusakawi EPS, Riohacha, Colombia

    Trabajador social, Dusakawi EPS, Riohacha (Colombia). ebuelvasleon@gmail.com.
    https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1115-0561

  • Ana Carolina Serpa Silva, Institución Educativa Departamental de Algarrobo, Magdalena, Colombia

    Bacterióloga. Especialista en Epidemiología. Institución Educativa Departamental de Algarrobo, Magdalena (Colombia). serpaa7@gmail.com. https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4826-424X

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Published

2026-07-09

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

How to Cite

Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns of Bacteria Isolated from the Urinary Tract of Pregnant Women in a Health Institution in the Colombian Caribbean. (2026). SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL SALUD UNINORTE, 42(2), 400-424. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.42.02.784.659

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