Bacteriuria Investigation among Female Cohorts in Community Healthcare Facility
Mina Ofosu
Kumasi Technical University
Ruhiyat Shaibatul Hamdi
Kumasi Technical University
Daniel Odei
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Opoku Bempah
Kumasi Technical University
Solomon Wireko
Kumasi Technical University
Herbert Ekoe Dankluvi
Kumasi Technical University
Linda Opponbea Amoani
Kumasi Technical University
Abena Kyeraa Sarpong
Kumasi Technical University
Keywords: Bacteriuria, Asymptomatic, Healthcare, Females and community
Abstract
Bacteriuria is the indication of bacteria in the urine which has currently been reported to affect about one hundred and fifty (150) million people worldwide, each year, either presenting as symptomatic or asymptomatic cohorts. Asymptomatic cohorts generally do not indicate symptoms as against their symptomatic counterparts. This prevents the infections in the former group to be recognized and given the appropriate attention. The symptoms that may be presented by an infected individual serve as the primary indicator of an infection. Women are three times more likely to develop urinary tract infections compared to their male counterpart due to their natural anatomical structure and certain activities they go through as part of their bodies’ make-up such as narrower urethras, sexual activity, pregnancy, distance between faecal flora passage and the urinary tract and sometimes rapid hormonal fluctuations. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in females. A cross-sectional study design was employed where fifty (50) participants were recruited from a health center in one of the suburbs in the Kumasi Metropolis. The study involved administration of pre-tested questionnaires and the collection of mid-stream urine samples from participants to conduct macroscopic and microscopic investigations. A large proportion of forty-six percent (46%) of the females recruited for the study presented asymptomatic bacteriuria with ages between fourteen and nineteen (14 and19), indicating the highest risk. This could result in some unhealthy practices, which were established to be carried out by the participants recruited for the study such as douching, poor sanitary pad modification, and a general disdain for hygiene norms among this age group. It is therefore recommended that appropriate fora be established for education against these practices and awareness on the causes and effect of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) be created.
Author Biographies
Mina Ofosu, Kumasi Technical University
Department of Laboratory Technology, Kumasi Technical University. Kumasi-Ghana
Ruhiyat Shaibatul Hamdi, Kumasi Technical University
Department of Laboratory Technology, Kumasi Technical University. Kumasi-Ghana
Daniel Odei, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Opoku Bempah, Kumasi Technical University
Department of Laboratory Technology, Kumasi Technical University. Kumasi-Ghana