Asymptomatic Bacteriuria among Pregnant Women in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Nigeria

The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria amongst pregnant women in Abakaliki was investigated using culture techniques. Out of the 150 subjects screened 118 (78.7%) had asymptomatic bacteriuria while 32 (21.3%) had none. Thirty (20%) of the subjects had mixed bacterial growth while 88 (58.6%) had one type of bacteria. The frequency of isolation of organism was Staphylococcus aureus (27.1%), Escherichia coli (25.4%) Klebsiella species (23.7%), Proteus species (10.2%); Streptococcus species (8.5%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.1%). Pregnant women in their third trimester had the highest prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (36.4%). The age group 31-35 years had the highest prevalence with respect to age while farmers had the highest (90%) with respect to occupation. This study emphasizes the need for routine screening of the urine of pregnant women for asymptomatic bacteriuria.