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Bacteraemia in febrile out-patient children

B Ghiorghis1, A Geyid, M Haile

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Armed Forces Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

East African Medical Journal
|February 1, 1992
PubMed

Insights

This study found that 7.7% of febrile children under 14 had bloodstream infections (bacteraemia), with Salmonellae being the most common cause. Clinical illness severity did not strongly predict these bacterial infections.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Febrile illnesses in children can indicate serious bloodstream infections (bacteraemia).
  • Prompt identification of bacteraemia is crucial for effective treatment and management in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence and common causative agents of bacteraemia in febrile children.
  • To investigate potential clinical predictors of bacteraemia in this age group.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective evaluation of 634 febrile children (age ≤ 14 years) with rectal temperatures ≥ 39°C.
  • Bacteriological analysis to identify causative pathogens.
  • Comparison of clinical parameters, nutritional status, and hemoglobin levels between cases and controls.

Main Results:

  • The overall frequency of bacteraemia was 7.7% (49 cases).
  • Salmonellae (57%), Streptococci (16%), and Staphylococci (14%) were the predominant pathogens.
  • No significant differences were observed in nutritional status or hemoglobin levels between children with and without bacteraemia.
  • Clinical illness severity did not strongly correlate with the presence or magnitude of bacteraemia.

Conclusions:

  • Salmonellae are a significant cause of bacteraemia in febrile children.
  • Clinical signs and routine laboratory parameters are not strong predictors of bacteraemia in this population.
  • Further research may be needed to identify reliable early indicators of systemic bacterial infection in febrile children.

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