Antibiotic sensitivity patterns in childhood urinary tract infections

Abstract

Objectives To assess the current antibiotic sensitivity pattern of urinary pathogens and compare it with the pattern 5 years previously. Method A retrospective analysis was performed on 2650 urine samples in 1997 and 2062 samples in 2002 received by the medical laboratory at the Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya from the paediatric ward and paediatric clinics. Results In 1997 there were 155 urine culture reports with significant colony counts of >10 5 for which ABSTs were performed. 111 were from males and 44 from females. In 2002 there were 278 positive cultures of which 179 were from males and 99 from females. Predominant organism was the coliform, accounting for 90% of isolates in both 1997 and 2002. In 1997 nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin had high sensitivities of 73.8% and 73.1% respectively, while ciprofloxacin and mecillinam had low sensitivities of 51.9% and 35.5%. In 2002 coamoxiclav had the highest antibiotic sensitivity of 86.7%, while nitrofurantoin, nalidixic acid and norfloxacin had high sensitivities of 80%, 76.6% and 75.7% respectively. Ciprofloxacin and mecillinam had low sensitivity levels both in 1997 and 2002. A change was seen in cotrimoxazole and cephalexin, which had low sensitivities of 40.2% and 54.8% in 1997 and relatively higher sensitivities of 63.8% and 69.2% in 2002 respectively.