WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

*Sarah Ali al-shadeedi and Lamyaa Abul-Kareem Al-Saadi

ABSTRACT

Background: Urinary tract infections of children are public health problems need wide efforts in screening and diagnosis. Urine culture is the definite diagnostic method to assess urinary tract infections. Aim of study: To determine the prevalence of UTI in preschool and school age febrile children at age of 3 to 12 years old and the importance of urinalysis in screening and diagnosis of UTI. Patients and methods: A descriptive cross sectional study conducted in emergency unit and pediatric Consultancy clinic of AL-Imamein AL-Kadhimaein Medical City in Baghdad city during the period from 1st of September, 2018 to 31st of August, 2019. A sample of 100 febrile children (temperature ≥ 38°C) age range (3-12) years Evaluation for urinary tract infection was done depending on microscopic urinalysis, dipstick analysis and Urine culture. Results: Urine culture of febrile children was positive in 12child (12%) of them;9 children (75%) of those with positive urine culture had E-Coli microorganism and 3child (25%) of them had Non E-Coli (Proteus, Klebsilla and Enterococcus). Significant symptoms of urinary tract infection among preschool and school age febrile are convulsions, abdominal pain, refusal to feed and dysuria. WBC/HPF, bacteriuria, Dipstick Nitrite test, Dipstick Leukocyte esterase test, ESR and CRP are helpful for screening and diagnosis. Conclusions: The prevalence of urinary tract infection among preschool and school age febrile children is 12% and urinalysis is a valuable tool to screen and diagnose urinary tract infection.