Original Articles

Aetio-microbiologic profile of febrile children in a tertiary care hospital

Authors:

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the culture-positive infection rate, profile of organisms and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of common culture isolates in various body fluids among children presenting with febrile illness to a tertiary care hospital.


Method: A retrospective study was carried out from January 2013 to December 2016 on children who presented with febrile illness for more than 3 days and had a culture taken of the relevant body fluid/ specimen/tissue, based on clinical profile.


Results: A total of 7683 children was included in study. Culture positive infection rate was 18.8% in the study population. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was the commonest infection occurring in 761 (9.9%) children. Escherichia coli (E. coli) was the commonest isolate, being found in 431 (5.4%) specimens. An intermediate pattern of sensitivity was observed for gentamycin and colistin. Most E coli strains were sensitive to other antibiotics. Most Enterococcus species were resistant to cotrimoxazole, clindamycin, and cephalosporins. Almost half the strains indicated an intermediate sensitivity pattern to colistin and gentamycin.


Conclusions: Culture positive infection rate was 18.8% in the study population, UTI being the commonest infection and E.coli the commonest isolate.

 

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2021; 50(4): 595-601

Keywords:

FebrileAntibioticEscherichia coliEnterococcusRetrospective
  • Year: 2021
  • Volume: 50 Issue: 4
  • Page/Article: 595-601
  • DOI: 10.4038/sljch.v50i4.9844
  • Published on 5 Dec 2021
  • Peer Reviewed