Bag urine, versus urinary catheter specimens in diagnosis of urinary tract infection in infants. an area-based study

ABSTRACT

Urinary tract infection [UTI] is a common bacterial infection in pediatrics, which may be followed by many serious complications .As the clinical presentations of UTIs in infants are almost nonspecific, accurate urine collection is the key to obtain optimal diagnosis. There are three main methods for urine collection [perineal bagging, urethral catheterization and suprapubic aspiration] with varying rates of contamination and invasiveness. This study was conducted on 124 infants who were suspected to have UTIs, on admission to pediatric department at Al-Jahra hospital during year 2004. Patients were categorized according to their ages into three categories ,and two urine specimens [urine bag and urethral catheter] were collected from each of them; Category A [Male-4 Female] positive cultures by bags [83.3%] were significantly different from thos? by catheter [25%] ;while in Category B f 1-3 months] n= 35 [20M- 15F] ,positive cultures by bags 65.7% compared to 34.3% by catheters which were also statistically significant; Category C [>3 -12 months] n = 77[28M- 49F] positive bag catheter cultures, were 61% 17% also significant. Moreover the study proved nonspecific clinical presentations of UTIs under the age of one year, and E coll was the most common pathogen in this age group. Urine bag specimens are not appropriate in the diagnosis of UTIs in infants