Reintroduction of nitrofurantoin in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection

The present study was designed to reintroduce an older antimicrobial nitrofurantoin to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infection and to explore the relationship between the reintroduction and corresponding shift in sensitivity pattern of the microbes. The microbial sensitivity against ciprofloxacin before intervention was 46.6%, which significantly increased after intervention (51.8%). Treatment with nitrofurantoin resulted in a total clinical cure rate of 80.6%, of which rate of clinical cure achieved in expected time was 66.1% and delayed was 14.5%. The rate of total clinical cure with nitrofurantoin corresponded closely with the proportion of urinary isolates sensitive to nitrofurantoin. i.e., 86.3%. This preliminary study revealed that revival might be an effective strategy to increase the sensitivity and to delay the emergence of resistance.