PROFILE OF BACTERIAL INFECTION IN HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN WITH SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION

Abstract

Background: Severe acute malnutrition suppresses every component of the immune system leading to increased susceptibility and severity to infection. However, symptoms and signs of infections are often unapparent making prompt clinical diagnosis and early treatment very difcult. This study describes culture conrmed bacterial infections and antibiotic susceptibility. Aim: To determine the prole of bacterial infections among children admitted with severe acute malnutrition. Methodology: This study was done in Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, in Department of Paediatrics, period from June 2020 to May 2021. Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition with 6-59 months of age were included in the hospital based cross sectional study. Results: Out of 60 patients enrolled, 30 were bacterial pathogens of which 17(56.66%) were Gram negative, 13(43.33%) were Gram positive and 2 (6.66%) were Fungal pathogens. E.coli is the leading gram negative constitute 8 (47.05%), followed by citrobacter species 3(17.64%). In gram positive, staphylococcus aureus is 5(38.46%) followed by CONS 4(30.76%). Higher susceptibility among gram negative is to cotrimaxazole 8(16%), doxycyline 6(12%) and amoxyclav 6(12%). Then gram positive is ciprooxacin 5(15.15%), linezolide 5(15.15%), gentamicin 4(12.12%). Resistances was found maximum among gram positive to azithromycin 2(33.33%) and gram negative to amoxyclav 3(30%). Conclusion: Bacteraemia is highly common among severe acute malnutrition, and the commonest isolate is E. coli followed by Staph. Aureus which is most sensitive to cotrimoxazole and ciprooxacin.