Oral Narrow-Spectrum Antibiotics for the Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Infants Younger Than 60 Days

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in infants.
• Limited data exist on the efficacy of narrow-spectrum oral antibiotics for infants younger than 60 days.
• Antimicrobial stewardship is crucial for optimizing antibiotic use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the susceptibility and treatment outcomes of narrow-spectrum oral antibiotics in infants under 60 days with UTIs.
• To evaluate the impact of antimicrobial stewardship education on prescribing practices for infant UTIs.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of infants younger than 60 days diagnosed with UTIs.
• Analysis of antibiotic susceptibility patterns.
• Assessment of treatment success based on clinical outcomes.
• Comparison of prescribing practices before and after an antimicrobial stewardship education intervention.

Main Results:

• Narrow-spectrum oral antibiotics demonstrated susceptibility in a significant portion of UTI pathogens.
• Successful treatment outcomes were observed with oral antibiotic regimens.
• Antimicrobial stewardship education led to a measurable change in prescribing practices, potentially reducing broad-spectrum antibiotic use.

Conclusions:

• Narrow-spectrum oral antibiotics can be a viable option for treating UTIs in select infants younger than 60 days.
• Antimicrobial stewardship education is effective in modifying physician prescribing behavior for infant UTIs.
• Further research is warranted to establish definitive guidelines for oral antibiotic therapy in this population.