Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection Pathogens Detected in Children at a Hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the commonest bacterial infections in children, with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. reported as predominant causative agents. Several studies have shown that at least 8% of children aged between 1 month and 11 years have at least one UTI. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pathogens causing UTI detected in children under 12 years of age at a paediatric hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Methodology: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using laboratory records from January 2024 to June 2024 at a major women’s and children’s hospital in Colombo. Urine samples from 619 paediatric patients were analysed according to standard microbiological methods, including urine culture, Gram staining and biochemical identification tests. The collected data were sorted in a prepared spreadsheet and entered into SPSS version 29.0.10 for statistical analysis. Discrete variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages. Results: Of the 619 urine samples tested, 111 (17.93%) showed significant bacterial growth. Gram-negative bacteria (96.26%) were the predominant uropathogens, whereas Gram-positive pathogens were less frequently reported. E. coli (55.86%), Proteus spp. (15.32%) and Klebsiella spp. (14.41%) were the most frequently isolated organisms. Pseudomonas spp. (3.60%), other coliforms (3.60%), Enterococcus spp. (3.60%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (2.70%) were also reported. There was no difference between males and females with regard to the types of pathogens isolated. Males (57.66%) had a higher prevalence of infection than females (42.34%), and 44.14% of cases were from children aged less than 1 year. In contrast, in the 9–12-year age group, 66.67% (n = 8) were females and 33.33% (n = 4) were males. Conclusion: This study highlights the microbial profile and demographic distribution of UTIs among a paediatric population. However, the study does not provide insights into resistance patterns, which limits its direct application in guiding antibiotic therapy. The findings emphasise the importance of identifying uropathogens that cause UTIs in paediatric patients to support the initiation of antibiotic treatment and reduce the burden of UTIs.