ABSTRACT
Despite the advances in antenatal diagnosis, urinary tract infection (UTI) still continues to be a common way in which a child with a urological abnormality presents. Approximately five per cent of girls and 1.5 per cent of boys develop symptoms of UTI during childhood. Compared with adults, children with UTI are more likely to have an underlying urinary tract abnormality and are more likely to suffer renal damage. Around 30-50 per cent of children investigated for UTI have an underlying (refluxing or obstructive) urinary pathology. The presentation is often atypical in children. The diagnosis and management of UTI in children needs a systematic approach, which, in essence centres on the prevention of the serious long-term consequences of UTI, such as renal scarring, hypertension and renal failure. Understanding the pathogenesis of UTI and the interplay between host and organism factors is of paramount importance in the investigation and management of these children.
