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Published on: October 12, 2017
Septic arthritis in an infant with vesicoureteral reflux and urinary tract infection
Sharmila Nair1, Morris J Schoeneman
1Department of Pediatrics, Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Insights
Early identification of urinary tract abnormalities in infants is crucial. Prompt diagnosis and management of conditions like vesicoureteral reflux can prevent severe complications such as urosepsis and septic arthritis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Urology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in infants can lead to severe systemic complications.
- Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a significant risk factor for recurrent UTIs and subsequent infections.
Observation:
- A 4-week-old infant with a history of UTI and VUR presented with urosepsis and septic arthritis of the right hip.
- Poor compliance with prophylactic antibiotic therapy was noted in this case.
Findings:
- Systemic complications like bone and joint infections can arise from UTIs in children with underlying urologic abnormalities.
- Delayed diagnosis of urologic anomalies increases the risk of severe outcomes.
Implications:
- Defining urinary tract abnormalities early, particularly in cases of antenatal hydronephrosis or first UTI, is essential.
- Appropriate investigations, management, and support for parental compliance are vital to prevent systemic complications in infants.
Abstract:
A 4-week-old boy with previous urinary tract infection and documented vesicoureteral reflux presented with urosepsis and septic arthritis of the right hip. Compliance with prophylactic antibiotic therapy had been poor at home. Complications such as bone and joint infection are known to occur after urinary tract infection in children with urologic abnormalities. However, previous similar reports describe discovery of the urinary tract anomalies only as part of an evaluation performed after the systemic complications have occurred. The purpose of this report is to stress the importance of defining urinary tract abnormalities in a case of antenatal hydronephrosis or at the time of the first urinary tract infection in infants so that appropriate investigations, management, and support of parental compliance can be undertaken to avoid systemic complications.
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