Prevalence of Enterococcal Urinary Tract Infections With Positive Nitrites in Urinalysis in Pediatric Patients With High-Risk for Enterococcal Infections

Abstract

Enterococcus is a relatively uncommon pathogen that causes urinary tract infections (UTIs) in healthy children. Most enterococcal infections occur in patients with risk factors such as anatomical or functional urinary tract anomalies, also known as CAKUT (congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract). Children who are suspected of having UTIs and who have certain risk factors are often treated specifically for enterococcal infection as part of their empiric regimen. Our primary objective was to determine the prevalence of enterococcal UTIs among high-risk children, and specifically among those with positive nitrite tests, with the goal of avoiding treatment with specific anti-enterococcal agents. This retrospective study included all the episodes of UTI treated at a tertiary pediatric center during 2010 to 2018. The data collected from medical records included nephrological and urological risk factors, nitrite status, and isolated pathogens. Of 931 episodes of UTI, 467 (50%) were considered high-risk. In all, 24 of the latter had Enterococcus as a single pathogen; 23 (96%) of these occurred in patients with negative nitrites in the first urine dipstick taken. The sole patient with high-risk factors, a positive nitrite test and coexisting enterococcal UTI had a history of previous enterococcal UTIs. In pediatric patients with nephrological and urological risk factors, who have positive nitrites in urinalysis, the risk for enterococcal UTI appears substantially low. Therefore, in this context, specific anti-enterococcal empirical antibiotic therapy may be unnecessary.