Objectives:

A prospective surveillance study was conducted to investigate the epidemiology and patterns of antibiotic resistance among uropathogens from hospitalised children in Beira, Mozambique. Additionally, information regarding determinants of a urinary tract infection (UTI) was obtained.

Methods:

Bacterial species identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase testing were performed for relevant bacterial isolates.

Results:

Analysis of 170 urine samples from 148 children yielded 34 bacterial isolates, predominantly Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp., causative of a urinary tract infection in 29 children; 30/34 isolates (88.2%) from 26/29 children (89.7%) were considered highly resistant micro-organisms (HRMOs). No significant determinants of urinary tract infection with HRMOs were detected when analysing gender, antibiotic use during hospital admission and HIV status.

Conclusion:

This study shows, for the first time in Mozambique, an extremely high prevalence of HRMOs among uropathogens from hospitalised children with a urinary tract infection.