Susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains isolated from outpatient children with community-acquired urinary tract infection in southern Switzerland.
BACKGROUND
Based on antimicrobial resistance patterns found in Swiss university hospitals, treatment with a third-generation cephalosporin is currently advised for Swiss children with urinary tract infection.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains isolated from children with symptomatic community-acquired urinary tract infection.


METHODS
The antimicrobial susceptibility of E coli strains causing symptomatic community-acquired urinary tract infections was assessed in outpatient children attending the emergency management unit at the Department of Pediatrics, Mendrisio and Bellinzona Hospitals, Switzerland. Strains from children receiving antimicrobial prophylaxis or prescribed antimicrobials in the previous 4 weeks were excluded. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methods were used for culture and identification of pathogens. E coli susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion technique.


RESULTS
Strains from 100 consecutive outpatient children (73 girls, 27 boys; aged 5 weeks-17 years [median, 33 months]; 100% white) were assessed. High rates of ampicillin and cotrimoxazole resistance (39 and 21 strains, respectively) and low rates of nitrofurantoin resistance (4 strains) were identified. No resistance was identified for coamoxiclav or third-generation cephalosporins.


CONCLUSIONS
In these Swiss outpatient children with symptomatic community-acquired urinary tract infection, without antimicrobial prophylaxis or recent prescription of antimicrobials, uropathogenic E coli strains resistant in vitro to ampicillin and cotrimoxazole were common. However, in vitro resistance to nitrofurantoin, coamoxiclav, and third-generation cephalosporins was uncommon.
Borsari
Andrea G
AG
Department of Pediatrics, Mendrisio and Bellinzona Hospitals, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Bucher
Barbara
B
Brazzola
Pierluigi
P
Simonetti
Giacomo D
GD
Dolina
Marisa
M
Bianchetti
Mario G
MG
D000293:Adolescent; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / Q000494:pharmacology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009582:Nitrofurantoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010045:Outpatients; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013557:Switzerland; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; D009582:Nitrofurantoin