UTI is common in febrile under-fives especially among females and infants. No association was apparent between the occurrence of UTI and clinical parameters.

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the serious bacterial infections in febrile young children, which may cause chronic morbidities. Studies from different parts of Nigeria have shown varying pattern in its bacteriology and antibiotic sensitivities. Antimicrobial resistance rate among uropathogens is an increasing problem limiting therapeutic options, and underscores the need to determine local bacteriological pattern that will guide empiric antibiotic choices. Objectives: To identify the bacterial pathogens responsible for UTI in febrile under-five children in Enugu as well as their antibiotic sensitivity patterns. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive hospital based study of eligible febrile children aged one to 59 months. Urine samples were collected using mid-stream and suprapubic aspiration methods. Standard laboratory procedures were used to culture the urine specimens, identify the bacterial pathogens as well as their antibiotic sensitivity patterns. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the outcome. Results: Significant bacteriuria occurred in 22 (11%) of the 200 samples. Escherichia coli isolates were the most common organisms in 7(31.8%) of the 22 positive samples. Others were Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella spp and Streptococcus faecalis isolated in 5 (22.7%), 3(13.6%), and 3(13.6%) of the positive samples respectively. Most of the isolates were sensitive to ofloxacin (90.9%), ciprofloxacin (81.8%), nitrofurantoin (77.3%) and ceftriaxone (72.7%). High levels of resistance to ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, amoxicillin, nalidixic acid and clavulanate-potentiated amoxicillin were observed. Conclusion: Escherichia coli is the most common cause of UTI in febrile under-five children studied. Ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone showed better sensitivities are advocated for the empiric treatment of febrile UTI in Enugu.

Background:Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children world-wide with the highest incidence in the developing countries. The persistence and effect of this condition require a study of the features and characteristics of the disease especially, within any (each) locality in order to offer possible control solutions.Aim:To determine, the clinical and social characteristics associated with AGE among children seen in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.Subjects and Methods:A hospital-based population study in which children admitted in the children emergency room of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital whose parents/caregivers gave their consent were enrolled, over a 7 month period. Appropriate statistical tools: Chi-square, t-tests, correlation and logistic regression were used to determine significant values and associations.Results:A total of 76 children with AGE were enrolled; 69.7% (53/76) were males. The mean age of the subjects was 11.3 (6.6) months. Majority 94.7%, (72/76) of cases of AGE occurred in children less than 24 months, with children 6-11 months contributing the highest percentage 42%, (32/76). The study population was predominantly urban dwellers; 78.9%, (60/76, P = 0.40) and water cistern constituted 77.6% (58/76) of waste disposal method. Those who had potable water supply were 23.7%, (18/76, P = 0.30) and 19.7% of the children were exclusively breast fed. Fever and vomiting were the commonest associated symptoms, occurring in 82.9% (63/76) and 73.7% (56/76) of the subjects respectively. A good percentage of the subjects 64.5%, (49/76) had ORS before presentation.Conclusion:AGE is more common in older infants among those who were not exclusively breast-fed and the severity was unrelated to place of domicile and waste disposal habits.

Objective: To determine providers' willingness to use (WTU) topical anaesthetic cream (TAC) to alleviate childhood pain. This information will be useful for successful implementation of TAC in Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: The study was undertaken in hospitals in southeast Nigeria. Intervieweradministered questionnaire was used to collect information: on the providers' preferred waiting time and their WTU TAC. Likert scale was used to assess the providers' level of uneasiness when performing painful procedures and their WTU the TAC. Multiple regression analyses were performed to measure the relationship of WTU with the different independent variables, after creating a binary option for some variables. Results: Providers surveyed were 232. Majority (94.8%) wanted the pain alleviated and 87.9% had made some attempts to alleviate the pain. Only one respondent (1%) knew about TAC, but none had used it before. Over 94% of the respondents were WTU TAC. The mean maximum preferred waiting time was 37.03 minutes. Many (68.8%) were concerned about the prolonged waiting time required and 19.8% and 12.5% with its availability and affordability respectively. In linear multivariate analyses, WTU was not statistically associated with designation, age, average weekly procedure and scale-rating of the childhood pain (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The WTU TAC was high, but the mean time willing to wait was lesser than mean recommended time of 45 minutes. If this latter limitation is circumvented, it may aid implementing the use of TAC in routine pediatric care.