Bacteriology of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pre-school children in Enugu

Abstract

Objective : This study was undertaken to ascertain the predominant bacterial isolates in the urine of pre-school children with asymptomatic bacteriuria and determine their sensitivity pattern. Methods : This was a cross-sectional study in which analysis of urine cultures obtained from 800 nursery school children aged 2-5 years in Enugu, South East Nigeria, between January and November 1989 was done. Results : Three hundred and ninety-one (48.8%) of the children were females while 409 were males, with a male female ratio of 1.05:1.The mean age was 3.79 ±1.3yrs and seventeen out of 800 (2.1%) cultures were positive, 2 (12%) from male children and 15 (88%) from female children. Nine out of the 17 (53%) positive cultures yielded Escherichia Coli . (E. Coli), 5 specimens (29%) yielded streptococcus faecalis ( strept. Faecalis ) while the remaining 3 specimens yielded Proteus species (6%), staphylococcus pyogenes (6%) and Micrococcus (6%) respectively. There was 100% resistance of the E. Coli, staphylococcus pyogenes (staph. Pyogenes ) and proteus species to Ampicillin, while there was 100% sensitivity of all the organisms to nitrofurantoin. Seventy-eight percent of the E. Coli were sensitive to gentamycin while 100% sensitivity to this drug was obtained for staphylococcus, pyogenes, micrococcus and proteus spp . However only 40% of the Strept. Faecalis was sensitive to gentamycin. Most of the organisms (88%) were resistant to co-trimoxazole. Conclusion : It is concluded that nitrofurantoin or gentamycin should be used as first line drugs in urinary infections rather than co-trimoxazole which is the practice at present. Orient Journal of Medicine Vol. 17(3&4) 2005: 37-42