Ali Mohammed Hussein
Northern Technical University - College of Health and Medical Techniques - Kirkuk - Iraq
Asal Aziz Tawfeeq
Northern Technical University - College of Health and Medical Techniques - Kirkuk – Iraq
Najdat Ali Al-kadhi
Northern Technical University - College of Health and Medical Techniques - Kirkuk - Iraq
ABSTRACT
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of gram-negative uropathogenic bacteria on oxidative stress and the antioxidant defense system in adult patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Methods: We analyzed 165 blood and urine samples from UTI-diagnosed patients admitted to Tuz General Hospital in Salahaddin, Iraq. Urine cultures were performed following standard microbiological procedures, using API ID 32E for the identification of urinary isolates. Serum was obtained by centrifuging blood samples and was then assayed for oxidative stress markers, including malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and for antioxidant enzyme activities such as glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase. Results: Out of 110 gram-negative bacterial isolates identified, the prevalence was as follows: Escherichia coli (58; 52.72%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (30; 27.27%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12; 10.81%), and Proteus mirabilis (10; 9.09%). Patients with positive urine cultures showed significantly elevated serum MDA levels and reduced activities of glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase compared to those with negative cultures, indicating oxidative stress induced by UTI. Conclusion: UTIs caused by gram-negative bacteria are associated with significant oxidative stress, manifested by increased MDA levels and decreased antioxidant enzyme activity in the serum of affected patients. These biochemical changes underscore the pathological impact of UTIs and highlight the need for strategies that mitigate oxidative stress in this patient population. This study emphasizes the importance of oxidative stress markers as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets in the clinical management of UTIs.
Keywords: Antioxidants, Gluthathione reductase, Malodialdehyde, UTI, E.coli.
