epidemiology

Last reviewed 01/2018

  • this condition is not uncommon in childhood. About 8% or more of girls and about 2% of boys will have a urinary tract infection at some time during childhood (1). The majority of urinary tract infections occur in the first year of life (2)

  • most urinary tract infections are due to normal bowel flora. E. coli is the causative organism in 80% of cases. Other common causative organisms are Klebsiella, Pseudomonas and other gram-negative organisms

  • urinary tract infections are much more common in girls than boys (at least 10:1) - this is true for all age groups except the newborn where the higher incidence of congenital abnormalities of urinary tract in the male, makes the reverse true

Reference:

  • (1) Larcombe J (1999). Urinary tract infections in children. BMJ, 31, 173-5.
  • (2) Prescriber (2000), 11 (18), 21-37.