Pediatric urinary tract infections in a tertiary care center from north India

Neelam Taneja1, Shiv Sekhar Chatterjee, Meenakshi Singh

  • 1Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India. drneelampgi@yahoo.com

Insights

Pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in young males and infants, often linked to vesicoureteric reflux and posterior urethral valves. Most UTIs were nosocomial and caused by multi-drug resistant pathogens.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Nephrology

Background:

  • Pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs) are linked to significant morbidity, including renal scarring and chronic kidney disease.
  • Undiagnosed febrile illnesses in children can stem from UTIs, highlighting the need for prompt diagnosis.
  • Understanding the clinical, microbiological, and resistance profiles of pediatric UTIs is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the clinical and microbiological characteristics of pediatric UTIs.
  • To determine the antibiotic resistance patterns of common uropathogens in children.
  • To identify risk factors associated with UTIs in the pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • Collected mid-stream urine samples from 1974 children under 12 years over six months.
  • Utilized microscopy and culture on specialized media for UTI diagnosis.
  • Identified bacterial isolates and performed antimicrobial sensitivity testing.

Main Results:

  • Identified significant bacteriuria in 28.3% of children, with common risk factors including male gender, age < 1 year, vesicoureteric reflux (VUR), and posterior urethral valve (PUV).
  • Escherichia coli was the most frequent uropathogen (47.1%), followed by Klebsiella spp. (15.6%).
  • High in-vitro resistance was observed among Enterobacteriaceae, and 12% of Enterococcus strains were vancomycin-resistant. Notably, 93.4% of UTIs were nosocomial.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric UTIs are prevalent in infants and young males, particularly those with VUR and PUV.
  • The study identified a predominance of nosocomial, multi-drug resistant pathogens causing UTIs in this pediatric cohort.
  • Effective antibiotic stewardship and infection control measures are essential for managing pediatric UTIs.
Abstract

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