ABSTRACT
Of 420 sickle cell disease patients admitted to Qatif Central Hospital who were investigated for bacteriuria, 49 showed significant bacteriuria, giving a bacteriuria rate of 11.6%. The highest incidence of bacteriuria was in patients under 20 years. The commonest organisms isolated were E. coli Klebsiella-Enterobacter, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas. The sensitivity pattern showed a high rate of resistance to ampicillin. Amoxycillin clavulonate, nalidixic acid and norfloxacin are recommended as the drugs of choice for 'blind' therapy of suspected urinary tract infection in patients with sickle cell disease in this hospital. Complications of urinary tract infection in sickle cell disease patients may be fatal, therefore a knowledge of the pattern of bacteriuria and antibiotic susceptibilities in the hospital population is vital in the management of patients with this haemoglobinopathy