Hyperbilirubinemia with Urinary Tract Infection in Infants Younger than Eight Weeks Old

Abstract

Background : Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common clinical problem in febrile infants younger than 8 weeks old, with a prevalence between 5% and 11%. Previous studies have noted that jaundice may be one of the first signs of a bacterial infection in infants. Aim : is to assess the presence of urinary tract infection in newborns with unexplained, indirect hyperbilirubinemia in the first eight weeks of life. Patients and Method : This study was conducted on 100 full term and preterm neonates with neonatal jaundice, 64 males and 36 females, and 20 neonates as control group, 10 males and 10 females. Results : shows that > 90% of cases with positive urinary culture had prolonged duration of jaundice > 14 days and the maternal infection was the leading cause of UTI. Conclusion : Testing for UTI should be a part of the diagnostic evaluation of neonates with prolonged unexplained jaundice. Maternal (obstetric) infections should be properly investigated and treated to prevent UTI in newborns as it was the leading cause of UTI in neonates. Further studies are needed to clarify the effect of hyperbilirubinemia on the bactericidal activity in the sera of jaundiced infants.