Routine Urine Culture in Febrile Young
Children
Published: June 1, 2011 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2011/.1300
CHANDRASHEKAR GOPAL SHETTIGAR, DIVAKAR RAO, PAVAN HEGDE, SANTHOSH SOANS
Department of Paediatric, A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences,
Kuntikana, Mangalore.
Correspondence
Chandrashekar GS
Asst. Professor, Dept. of Paediatrics, A.J. Institute of Medical
Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore-575004, India.
Ph: 09448857548, Facsimile numbers: 0824-2225541
E-mail address: drchandru2003@rediffmail.com
Objective: To assess the usefulness of the routine urine culture in febrile young children. Setting: Tertiary care teaching hospital Design: One year’s prospective study from October 2009 to September 2010 Patients: 334 febrile young children who were less than 5 years of age, who were admitted to the paediatric ward. Results: Out of 334 febrile children, 27 cases were diagnosed to have UTI , with overall estimated prevalence of 8.08%. Of the 27 patients with UTI, 17 (62.96%) cases had a provisional diagnosis which was other than UTI. One or the other symptoms which were referable to the urinary tract were present only in 52% of the patients with UTI. In 24% of the children with UTI, no othersign which was referable to the urinary tract was present, other than fever. A low yield was obtained in patients with respiratory infection (2.18%), neuroinfection (3.70%) and with enteric fever (3.84%). Of the 52 patients with gastroenteritis (GE), 5(9.61%) cases had UTI. Female patients with GE are particularly at an increased risk of UTI (23.52%). A high yield was obtained in patients with a provisional diagnosis of UTI (47.61%). Out of 31 patients who presented with fever with no apparent source, 7(22.58%) cases showed a significant growth on urine culture. Conclusion: Urinary tract infection Should be considered as a potential cause of fever in children below 5 years of age. A high yield was obtained whenever UTI was suspected, or in patients with fever with no apparent source and in female children with gastroenteritis.
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