Uropathogen pattern and antimicrobial susceptibility in positive urinary cultures isolates from paediatric patients

Introduction. Knowledge of urophatogens and antibiotic susceptibility should be used to assist with empirical urinary tract infection treatment. Material and methods. We retrospectively analysed local bacterial pattern and antimicrobial susceptibility in positive urinary isolates from paediatric patients collected in the period 2009-2013. Results were compared with a previous study carried out in the same sanitary area between 1995 and 1999. Results. We identified 2,762 urinary isolates. Escherichia coli was the most common uropathogen (58.9%), followed by Enterococcus sp. (11.6%) and Proteus mirabilis (10.9%). More than 95% of non extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli were susceptible to nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin, cefotaxime and aminoglycosides. However, 56%, 49%, and 22% of the E. coli isolates were resistant to ampicillin, oral first-generation cephalosporins, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, respectively. Ampicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate were the most effective antibiotics to treat Enterococcus sp. and P. mirabilis, respectively. Not significant modifications were found compared to results published at the same area in the '90s. Conclusions. E. coli was the mostly isolated uropathogen, with a high percentage of resistance to ampicillin, oral first-generation cephalosporins, and trimethoprim-sulfameth-oxazole. These urinary isolates and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were similar to those reported in other paediatric studies and did not show significant changes compared to local previously published results. Thus, it can be considered that the current recommendations about empiric antibiotic therapy in paediatric urinary tract infections remain applicable nowadays.