Aerococcus urinae - significance of detection in the paediatric urinary tract: a case series
Dimitri Rast1, Katrina Suzanne Evers2,3, Adrian Egli4,5,6
1University Children's Hospital Basel UKBB, Spitalstrasse 33, 4056, Basel, Switzerland. dimitri.rast@ukbb.ch.
Insights
Aerococcus urinae (A. urinae) can cause more than just malodorous urine in children, sometimes leading to urinary tract infections (UTIs). Boys with pre-existing urogenital issues are more frequently affected, warranting further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Urology
Background:
- Aerococcus urinae (A. urinae) is a known pathogen in older adults, causing UTIs, sepsis, and endocarditis.
- In children, A. urinae has been primarily associated with malodorous urine in otherwise healthy boys.
- Limited data exists on the broader clinical spectrum of A. urinae infections in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical and laboratory features of A. urinae detection in children.
- To identify potential risk factors and associated conditions in pediatric patients with A. urinae.
- To determine the spectrum of disease caused by A. urinae in a pediatric cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective, single-center case series.
- Inclusion of patients with A. urinae detection in urogenital samples over a 7-year period.
- Exclusion of patients with A. urinae detected only in non-urogenital skin swabs.
Main Results:
- 20 pediatric patients (median age 6.8 years, 90% boys) were included.
- Diagnoses included UTI (4 patients), malodorous urine without UTI (6 patients), balanitis (3 patients), and urine colonization (7 patients).
- 12 patients had pre-existing urogenital disorders, and 4 patients experienced recurrent A. urinae detection.
Conclusions:
- A. urinae detection in children is associated with more severe conditions than previously recognized, including UTIs.
- Pre-existing urogenital disorders are common in pediatric patients with A. urinae.
- Nephro-urological investigation is recommended for all pediatric cases of A. urinae detection.
Abstract:
Aerococcus urinae (A. urinae) is primarily recognized as a common pathogen in the geriatric population, causing urinary tract infection (UTI), sepsis, and endocarditis, predominantly in female patients. In the paediatric population, only a few case reports exist suggesting A. urinae causes malodorous urine in otherwise healthy boys. In this study, we investigated the spectrum of clinical and laboratory presentations of A. urinae detection in children. A retrospective, single-centre, case series including all patients with the detection of A. urinae during a 7-year study period. Patients with detection of A. urinae only in non-urogenital skin swabs were excluded. A total of 40 samples from 33 patients were identified of which 20 patients were included in the final analysis. The median (IQR) age was 6.8 (2.9-9.5) years; 18 (90%) patients were boys. Four patients were diagnosed with a UTI, six had malodorous urine without UTI, three were diagnosed with balanitis and seven showed A. urinae colonization in the urine culture. Urogenital disorders were present in 12 patients. Additional pathogens were detected in 13 patients. Recurrence of detection during our study period was observed in four (20%) patients. Conclusion: Beyond malodorous urine, A. urinae detection is associated with more severe presentations including UTI in the paediatric population. Pre-existing urogenital disorders were frequent, and therefore, a nephro-urological investigation should be considered in all cases of A. urinae detection in the paediatric population. What is Known: • Aerococcus urinae (A. urinae) is known to be a common pathogen in the geriatric population, causing urinary tract infection (UTI), sepsis, and endocarditis, predominantly in female patients. • In the paediatric population, A. urinae is mainly described as a low-grade pathogen. Some case reports describe A. urinae as the cause of extraordinary malodorous urine in otherwise healthy boys. What is New: • Beyond malodorous urine, A. urinae detection is associated with more severe presentations including UTI in the paediatric population. • A. urinae was mainly detected in boys with pre-existing urogenital disorders; therefore, a nephro-urological investigation should be considered in cases of A. urinae detection in the paediatric population.
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