BACTERIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND DRUG-RESISTANCE IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS WITH SYMPTOMATIC BACTERIURIA

The bacteriologic profile in 1081 pediatric patients with culture-posi tive symptomatic bacteriuria was studied over a 30-month period in a 5 00-bed acute care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Microbial isolates were considered significant if their numbers equaled or exceeded 10,0 00 colony-forming units/mL in symptomatic patients. Escherichia coli w as the most common causative agent of urinary tract infections (55.1%) , followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (1 0.0%), and Enterococcus species (6.1%). Results of antimicrobial susce ptibility testing indicated that nitrofurantoin and cephradine may be used as empiric therapy pending laboratory investigation; gentamicin c an be added in the treatment in severely ill inpatients, and treatment can be modified when microbiologic results become available.