Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Urinary Bacteria Amongst Paediatric Patients at The Nairobi Hospital, Kenya

Objective : To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of urinary tract infections in the paediatric age group at The Nairobi Hospital. Design : A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting : The Nairobi Hospital records department. Results : A total of 31 organisms were isolated consisting of Escherichia coli (n=132; 44.3%), Klebsiella species (n=59; 17.8%), Proteus species (n=28; 9.4%), Staphylococcus aureus (n=14; 5.7%), Pseudomonas species (n=14; 4.7%) and Enterococcus species (n=12; 4%). Others were less frequently isolated making up a total of 14.1%. Girls were more affected than boys with a ratio 6:4. Amongst the E.coli and Klebsilla isolates which were the most commonly isolated, resistance was high to commonly used antimicrobials such as trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (75%-80%) and amoxicillin clavulanate (50%). There was no statistical significance in the difference in the organisms isolated (p= 0.775) or their susceptibilities to tested  antimicrobials, between inpatients and outpatients. Conclusion : The change in the susceptibility patterns of the isolated organisms to the most commonly used antimicrobials points to a need for revision of the current guidelines, prudent use of antibiotics and regular surveillance of uropathogens and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns on a larger scale.