A single-center experience of antimicrobial resistance patterns in pediatric urinary tract infection

To assess the prevalence of urinary tract pathogens and their resistance patterns against antimicrobial agents in a single center.

In children <16 years of age admitted for urinary tract infection (UTI) to the Dr. Sami Ulus Teaching and Training Hospital from January 2004 to December 2008, positive urine cultures were reviewed.

A total of 3,485 positive urine cultures were identified, of which 2,379 (68%) were from females and 106 (32%) from males. Their mean age was 63.5 +/- 40.7 months. Escherichia coli was the most common causative agent both in total and among different age groups. Ampicillin had the highest resistance rate from all the pathogens isolated (63.8%), followed by piperacillin (51.8%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX; 48.6%). Cephalotin also had a high resistance rate (32.7%). The least resistance was for imipenem, amikacin, netilmicin and ciprofloxacin (0.13, 1.7, 2.4 and 7.5%, respectively). None of the Klebsiella and Pseudomonas isolates were resistant to imipenem. None of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates were resistant to teicoplanin and vancomycin. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. were isolated from two cultures.

E. coli was the most common causative agent of UTI in children. Ampicillin, TMP-SMX or cephalothin and piperacillin had the highest resistance rates against urinary tract pathogens in our center.