Incidence of urinary tract infection in protein calorie malnutrition

ABSTRACT

Infection and malnutrition are usually a common association and it is not easy to define which is the cause and which is the effect. The present study aimed to find out the incidence of urinary tract infection [UTI] in malnourished infants and children. Pyuria [5 pus cells/HPF] was found in 15 cases out of 60 malnourished patients [25%], but only 5 cases [8.3%] out of them had positive urine cultures with colony count 10[6] or more. These five cases had significant pyuria [> 15 pus cells/HPF] while non of the healthy group had abnormal urinary changes