Asymptomatic bacteriuria and antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from medical students in a hospital in Maracay

General objective: To determine the frequency of asymptomatic bacteriuria and bacterial antibiotic resistance among medical students training at the Central Hospital of Maracay between March and September 2024. Materials and methods: A non-experimental, field-based, descriptive, analytical, exploratory, and cross-sectional study design was employed. The study was conducted at the Central Hospital of Maracay, located in Aragua State, Venezuela. A total of 120 students were surveyed, and 20 were selected for the study; variables such as age, sex, academic year, history of urinary tract infection (UTI), sexual activity, isolated pathogen, and antibiotic resistance were recorded. Results: The mean age of the participants was 21.90 years; all participants were female. Regarding academic standing, 55% of the students were in their sixth year of medical school, 35% in their fourth year, and 10% in their fifth year. A history of UTI was reported by 80% of the students, and 95% reported sexual activity. *Escherichia coli* was the most frequently isolated pathogen (100%) and demonstrated high sensitivity to multiple antibiotics, with the exception of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, for which 20% resistance was observed. No bacterial growth was observed in 75% of the samples. Conclusion: The prevalence of potential asymptomatic bacteriuria among medical students at the Central Hospital of Maracay was 25%, which can be considered low. *Escherichia coli* was the most frequently isolated pathogen and showed high sensitivity to multiple antibiotics, confirming the absence of multidrug-resistant bacteria among the students evaluated.