Importance of screening for urinary tract infection in African Black diabetics

Urinary tract infections are common and often latent in diabetic patients. The objective of this study was to determinethe frequency of urinary tract infections and the organisms responsible.This is a descriptive type prospective study conducted in the Endocrinology and Diabetology ward of Donka UniversityHospital. All diabetic patients hospitalised from January 3rd to April 4th 2013 were included in the study.Two hundred and sixty-two diabetics had been screened, 64 (24.42%) had a urinary tract infection 41 women (64%)and 23 men (36%). The average age was 56.48 16.3 years with a range of 20-90 years. Urinary tract infections weremore frequent between the ages of 45 and 74 (67.20%). Sixty patients were married, four were single. Fifty-six patientswere type 2 diabetes against eight type I diabetes. Urine test strips showed 60 cases of pyuria, 36 cases of nitruria, 21cases of proteinuria and three cases of hematuria. Organisms identified were: Escherichia coli in 31 cases (48.43%): 25women and six men; Klebsiella pneumoniae in 14 cases (21.87%): nine women and five men; Staphylococcus aureusin 11 cases (17.18%): six women and five men; and Proteus mirabilis in eight cases (12.51%): two women and six men.The clinical manifestations were: asymptomatic bacteriuria in 57 cases (89.06%); acute cystitis in five cases (7.81%); andacute urethritis in two cases (3.13%).Urinary infection in African diabetics is very common. It requires a systematic screening with urine test strips becauseasymptomatic types are by far the most common. This would allow early treatment and avoid serious complications