Investigation of the rate of meningitis in association with urinary tract infection in infants 90 days of age or younger.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that urinary tract infections (UTI) in young infants are rarely associated with meningitis.


METHODS
We undertook a review of the laboratory results from 322 infants, 90 days of age or younger, with an admission or discharge diagnosis of UTI or meningitis. The study was conducted in a tertiary paediatric hospital. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of coexisting urinary tract and cerebrospinal fluid sepsis.


RESULTS
In total, 161 of the 322 (50%) infants with an admission or discharge diagnosis of UTI or meningitis were subsequently shown to have a culture-proven UTI. Of the children with a culture-proven UTI, 75 (47%) had cerebrospinal fluid obtained. We detected one case of probable bacterial meningitis in association with UTI.


CONCLUSIONS
UTI is rarely associated with meningitis in infants 90 days of age or younger.
Vuillermin
Peter J
PJ
Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. peterv@barwonhealth.org.au
Starr
Mike
M
D000367:Age Factors; D001315:Australia; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*