Urinary tract infections in infants : etiology and associated urological anomalies

Abstract EN

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common in infants; it might be associated with underlying renal anomalies.

Early detection and treatment are important to prevent morbidities and improve patients’ outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate the most common underlying organisms and the associated urological anomalies in infants with UTIs.

Design: A Retrospective Study.

Setting: Pediatrics Department, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain.

Methods: All medical records of infants below one year of age with confirmed UTI admitted between June 2015 and June 2017 were reviewed.

Results: One hundred twenty-five infants with UTI were included in the study, 85 (68%) were males.

Median age was 29 days (range 2 to 329).

Fever, 74 (59.2%), and neonatal jaundice, 46 (33.6%), were the most common clinical presentation.

The most common pathogens were Escherichia coli in 69 (55.2%) followed by Klebsiella pneumonia in 44 (35.2%) patients.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase organisms were found in 44 (35.2%) patients.

Recurrent UTI were documented in 15 (12%) patients.

Eighty-three (66.4%) patients had renal ultrasound; 29 (23.2%) had urological anomalies.

Hydronephrosis was found in 19 (15.2%) patients; 11 (8.8%) had bilateral hydronephrosis and seven (5.6%) had unilateral hydronephrosis.

Vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) was seen in 15 (12%) patients; 10 (8%) had bilateral VUR.

Conclusions: Escherichia coli remain the most common causative organism for UTIs in infants.

Approximately one-third of infants with UTIs had urological anomalies.