Urinary tract infection in infants with unexplained fever

ABSTRACT

This study included 150 infants [2 months to 2 years of age] presenting with fever [38.30C]; they were 68 males and 82 females. They were subjected to history taking, physical examination and laboratory investigations including complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] and urine analysis and culture. Urine samples were obtained either by suprapubic aspiration or urethral catheterization. Renal ultrasound was done for infants with positive urine culture. Overall prevalence of UTI in the group was 11.3% [95% confidence interval "CI" 9.7-13.4]. The rate was higher in female infants [13.4%, 95% CI 10.1-15.6], in infants less than one year [13%, 95% CI 10.3-15.1] and I ill-appearing infants [15.6%, 95% CI 11.5-17.9]. Prevalence was higher in infants with higher total leucocytic count [15.00/mm3] [20%, 95% CI 15.9-23.1] and in infants with pyuria, >5 pus cells / HPF [50%, 95% CI 44.2-51.8], hematuria, >5 RBCs / HPF [13.6%, 95 CI 10.0-15.8] and positive nitrite test in urine [80%, 95% CI 74.0- 87.2]. Among 17 infants with positive urine culture, 15 had infections caused by E. coli and 2 by Klebsiella and abnormal findings were encountered in 3 infants using renal ultrasonography