Urinary tract infection: aetiology and antimicrobial resistance pattern in infants from a tertiary care hospital in northern India.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections in childhood. Present study was undertaken to determine the occurrence of the uropathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in infants (< 1yr) suspected with UTI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in the Microbiology Department on urine samples received from infants for a period of two years from September 2011 to August 2013. RESULTS: Culture positivity rate was found to be 15.7%. There was an overall male preponderance in cases of UTI (70.1%). Most common bacterial isolate was E.coli (45.4%) followed by Klebsiella (16.7%) and Enterococcus spp (13.2%). Isolation of candida was 21.1%, maximum from ICU (63.1%). Maximum gram negative isolates (50%) showed high resistance to gentamicin, amikacin, cefotaxime and norfloxacin while most of the isolates (5%) were found susceptible to nitrofurantoin and piperacillin-tazobactam. 45.1% of gram negative bacilli were ESBL producer. We recommend continuous monitoring of changes in bacterial pathogens causing UTI and antibiotic sensitivity in each area for effective treatment of UTI. CONCLUSION: Since antimicrobial resistance is a major problem, such study will help in formulating a strict antibiotics prescription policy in our country.