Background: Staphylococcus infection remains one of the most common bacterial infections that cause high rate of morbidity and mortality in children and adults. This study was aimed to find the prevalent age group and type of Staphylococcus strain among the children presented with sore throat to a tertiary care hospital.Methods: A retrospective study was done by analyzing the medical records of children (less than 10 years of age) who presented to the outpatient Paediatric department with sore throat and confirmed diagnosis of Staphylococcus. Number of coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS), Staphylococcus aureus (SA), methicilline resistant (MR) and methicilline sensitive (MS) strains was analyzed in various age groups and analyzed statistically.Results: Total 129 cases of Staphylococcus infected cases were found during the period of this study. The male to female ratio was 1.86 with high rate of prevalence found among the children of age 1-3 years (39.5%) (p= 0.0031). The CoNS was found in 65/129 (50.38%) cases and all were MSSA. No MRSA infection was found during the study period. Among the total cases, 122/129 (94.57%) cases were infected with MS strains. The MR strain was found in 7/129 cases (5.4%) which was mainly in neonates. The rate of infection was less in older children (7-10-year age).Conclusions: The prevalence of Staphylococcus associated throat infection was high among the children of 1-3-year age with male dominance. The MR strain was found only 5.4% of cases and no MRSA found in this study.

PurposeSevere bacterial infection is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Geographical-based demographic laboratory and clinical data are required to get a conclusion about the bacterial infection and their antibiotic susceptibility for the empiric antibiotic treatment in infants who presented with suspected infection. This study was aimed to find the most prevalent bacterial infection and antibiotic sensitivity among infants in the post-neonatal period presented at a tertiary care centre in South India.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was designed among infants (29 days to 1 year old) presented with suspected infection in the paediatric department. Infants with positive culture report were analysed for the bacteriological and antibiotic profile from the medical records. Antibiotic sensitivity was determined for the isolated bacteria according to standard procedure and data statically analysed.FindingsTotal of 218 samples (138 male and 80 female) were analysed. Most of the samples (171/218, 78.4%) were throat swab (p = 0.0247). Only one sample was cerebrospinal fluid from case of meningitis. Sample from upper RTI was major (162/218, 74.3%) with male dominance followed by stool samples from cases of diarrhoea (22/218, 10.0%). Staphylococcus aureus was the major organism identified in 46/171 (26.9 %) throat swabs. The most sensitive antibiotic against bacteria isolated from throat swab and CSF was gentamicin and cloxacillin. Netilmicin and piperacillin plus tazobactam were the sensitive antibiotics against bacteria isolated from stool, ear secretion and urine samples.Research limitations/implicationsShort duration and small sample size representing the population was the major limitations of this study. Furthermore, a multicentre population based study is warranted to develop a protocol/policy/rational use of antibiotics in the clinical setting for the empiric therapy.Practical implicationsPracticing good hygiene in child care is the best way to prevent infection. Community-based awareness and education should be given to parents in order to follow good hygiene in child care regularly. Furthermore, avoid delay in seeking treatment and provide the medicine prescribed at the right time and in the right dose to limit the morbidity and bacterial resistance.Social implicationsDespite the empirical antibiotic treatment in subjects presented with infection in the post-neonatal period, awareness about the exclusive breastfeeding, maternal and neonatal immunizations and antibiotic prophylaxis in case of suspected infection are warranted to reduce the incidence of infection. Furthermore, keeping the baby's environment clean, keeping safe distance from people who are unwell or avoiding contact with infected people are major home-based activities to protect infants from common infectious diseases. Changing diaper at frequent intervals can reduce the UTI and washing child's and caregiver's hands frequently can prevent food bone and respiratory infections.Originality/valueUpper RTI was the prevalent bacterial infection followed by diarrhoea in infants in the post-neonatal period. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the common organism identified in the overall report followed by E. coli and S. aureus. Community-based awareness should be provided to follow good hygiene regularly in child care. Furthermore, avoid delay in seeking treatment and provide the medicine prescribed at the right time and in the right dose to limit the morbidity and bacterial resistance.

Aim: This study was aimed to evaluate the emergence of third generation cephalosporin resistant Escherichiacoli isolated from the culture of various biological fluids of infants in a tertiary care hospital. Background: :Resistance to commonly used antibiotics is consistently increasing during the last decades and it was found varying with time and geographical location. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of third generation cephalosporin sensitivity pattern of E. coli isolated from urine, stool, and throat swab culture from laboratory records. Methods: Retrospective study included the laboratory report of antibiotic sensitivity conducted on infants specimens during the period of 2 years. Third generation cephalosporin sensitivity pattern of E. coli isolated from urine, stool, and throat swab culture were collected and data were statistically analyzed. Results: Reports of 351 samples with positive E. coli were included in the study. More samples were analyzed from infants above 6 months of age with female dominance (184/351). Among the specimens tested, urine samples were highest 128/351 (35.0%). Cephalosporin resistant strain was found in 243/351 samples (69.2%) (p=0.0463) with 218/243 (89.7%) isolated from infants above 6 months of age and 25/243 (10.2%) were from infants below 6 months of age (p=0.038). The frequency of cephalosporin resistant E.coli in urine specimens of male and female infants was significant (p=0.0001). Conclusion: Third generation cephalosporin resistant E. coli strain was found in 69.2% of isolates and more in urine samples from female infants above 6 months of age. The clinicians should consider the emergence of cephalosporin resistantE. coli while selecting antibiotics as the empirical treatment.