www.abiosci.com ISSN: 2348-1927 RESEARCH ARTICLE Annals of Biological Sciences 2016, 4(2):1-8 1 Available online at http://abiosci.com/archive.html Biochemical characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility trends of Proteus mirabilis isolated from patients suspected with urinary tract infections attending Sickbay Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria Umar, M. 1, 2* , Yaya, A.A. 1, 3 , Yusuf, G. 1 , Tafinta, I.Y. 5 , Aliko, A.A. 6 , Jobbi, D.Y. 4 and Lawal, G. 1 1 Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria 2 Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria 3 Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria 4 Department of Haematology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano State, Nigeria 5 Department of Biological Sciences, Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria 6 Department of Plant Biology, Bayero University, Kano, Kano State, Nigeria Corresponding Email: mustapha4mina@yahoo.com _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT The research study on the biochemical characterization and antibiogram pattern of Proteus mirabilis isolated from patient suspected with urinary tract infections attending Sickbay hospital Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria was carried out. A total of 100 urine samples were collected from patients suspected with urinary tract infections, and screened for Proteus mirabilis using standard microbiological methods, out of which 20(20%) tested positive. The result shows that Streptomycin 20(100%), Erythromycin 17(85%), Ciprofloxacin 14(70%), and Sparfloxacin 15(75%) have the highest activity against the isolated Proteus mirabilis. While Proteus mirabilis recorded high resistance to Amoxicillin 20(100%), Tetracycline 19(95%), and Zinnacef 16(80%). The isolated Proteus mirabilis showed multiple drug resistance ability to the antibiotics used. It is concluded that all the antimicrobial agents that were found to be active against the test organisms can be used as the first-line drugs of choice for the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by Proteus mirabilis. Those antimicrobial agents that showed relative inactivity against the isolated Proteus mirabilis should be discouraged in the treatment of infections caused by the bacterium. Keywords: Antimicrobial, Biochemical Characterisation, Isolation, Proteus mirabilis, Urinary Tract Infection _____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Among long-term care residents, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common infection responsible for hospital admission, second only to pneumonia. UTIs can result in sepsis if not recognised and treated rapidly. Failure to treat or delay in treatment can result in a mortality rate of 20%-50%. Other factors that increase infection rates include; sex, duration of catheterisation, underlying illness, faulty catheter care and lack of systemic antibiotic therapy. Infections occur either by migration of bacteria up to the catheter along the mucosal sheath or by migration up to the catheter lumen from infected urine [1].