Etiologic and Anti-microbial Susceptibility Profiles of Bacterial Urinary Tract Infection and Bacterial Enteritis among Children at a Private Multi-Specialty Healthcare Facility in Abuja, Nigeria: A 5-Year Separate and Comparative Review

Abstract

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) and enteritis are major causes of morbidity and mortality in children. A combined profiling of UTI and enteritis could be helpful since stool plays a major role in the etiopathogenesis of UTI.

Aim: This study aimed to examine and compare bacterial UTI and bacterial enteritis in respect of their etiology and anti-microbial susceptibility (AMS) in children aged 0 to 17 years at Alliance Hospital, Abuja.

Materials and methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study of urine cultures in children who were investigated for UTI and of stool cultures in those investigated for enteritis. Data of 543 urine cultures and 614 stool cultures from January 1, 2017 to May 31, 2022 were retrieved. Bacterial yields, percentage susceptibility (PS), log-normalized susceptibility value (SVn), percentage of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, and multiple anti-microbial resistance index (MARI) were computed and compared.

Results: The bacterial yields of urine and stool cultures were 29% and 34%, respectively. Escherichia coli was the most common bacterial cause of UTI and enteritis. Overall susceptibility was sub-optimal and similar between uropathogens and enteropathogens [PS, 64% vs. 62%; mean SVn, 5.75 vs. 5.62 (P = 0.564)]. Levofloxacin was the most effective anti-microbial agent against both uro- and entero-pathogens, while amoxicillin clavulanate and cotrimoxazole were among the least effective. The burdens of MDR uro- and entero-pathogens were 39% and 46%, and their MARIs were 0.36 and 0.38, respectively.

Conclusions: Like in many healthcare institutions, Escherichia coli is the most common bacterial cause of UTI and enteritis in children at our facility. Second-generation fluoroquinolones remain effective against bacterial UTI and bacterial enteritis in children. Stool AMS surveillance could potentially be a surrogate strategy for urine AMS surveillance in children. Training and re-training on anti-microbial stewardship remain crucial in Nigeria.