The management of urinary tract infection (UTI) is fraught with challenges, especially, in an era of increasing antimicrobial resistance. Antibiograms that make use of local and population-based data aid clinicians in their treatment strategies. Objectives: This study aims to determine the common organisms isolated in the urine culture and the organism’s sensitivity pattern to antibiotics among inpatients and outpatients aged 0-18 years old at Chong Hua Hospital from January 1, 2003 to June 30, 2005. Methods: Data from inpatients and outpatients aged 18 years old and below with a urine culture of ³ 100,000 CFU of a single pathogen were collected from the Chong Hua Hospital Microbiology Laboratory within a 30-month period. The organisms cultured were identified and the resistance pattern of the 5 most common isolates was determined. The medical charts of inpatients were reviewed to determine the initial antibiotics started. Results: 140 patients were included in the study. UTI was most common in the >28 days to 1 year age group. UTI was more frequent in males aged >28 days to 1 year and in females aged 1 to 5 years. The common isolates were: Escherichia coli (75%), Proteus mirabilis (6%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6%), Enterobacter sp (5%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (4%). Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that there was resistance to ampicillin (76%) and cotrimoxazole (64.15%). Less than 10% resistance was found with ceftriaxone, imipenem, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, netilmicin, amikacin and cefepime. Cefuroxime was the most common antibiotic started in hospitalized patients. Conclusion: The most common etiologic agents of UTI were E. coli, P. mirabilis, P. aeruginosa, Enterobacter sp. and K. pneumoniae. There was high resistance to the recommended first-line antibiotics cotrimoxazole and ampicillin.
Urinary Tract Infections