Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Age- and sex-specific prevalence of serious bacterial infections in febrile infants ≤60 days, in Sweden

Orfanos, Ioannis LU orcid ; Alfvén, Tobias LU ; Mossberg, Maria LU ; Tenland, Mattias ; Sotoca Fernandez, Jorge LU ; Eklund, Erik A. LU and Elfving, Kristina LU (2021) In Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics 110(11). p.3069-3076
Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to describe age- and sex-specific prevalence of serious bacterial infections (SBI: urinary tract infection, bacteraemia, meningitis) among febrile infants ≤60 days in Sweden. Methods: This is a retrospective study in 4 Pediatric Emergency Departments from 2014 to 2017, in previously healthy, full-term infants ≤60 days with fever without a source. Results: Of the 1,701 included infants, 214 (12.6%; 95% CI, 11.1–14.3) had an SBI. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was diagnosed in 196 (11.5%; 95% CI, 10.0–13.1) patients. In the ≤28 and 29–60 days age-groups, meningitis prevalence was 0.9% (95% CI, 0.3–2.0) and 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1–0.8), whereas bacteraemia prevalence was 3.2% (95% CI, 1.9–4.9) and 0.6% (95% CI,... (More)

Aim: The aim of the study was to describe age- and sex-specific prevalence of serious bacterial infections (SBI: urinary tract infection, bacteraemia, meningitis) among febrile infants ≤60 days in Sweden. Methods: This is a retrospective study in 4 Pediatric Emergency Departments from 2014 to 2017, in previously healthy, full-term infants ≤60 days with fever without a source. Results: Of the 1,701 included infants, 214 (12.6%; 95% CI, 11.1–14.3) had an SBI. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was diagnosed in 196 (11.5%; 95% CI, 10.0–13.1) patients. In the ≤28 and 29–60 days age-groups, meningitis prevalence was 0.9% (95% CI, 0.3–2.0) and 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1–0.8), whereas bacteraemia prevalence was 3.2% (95% CI, 1.9–4.9) and 0.6% (95% CI, 0.2–1.3). The SBI prevalence was higher in boys 16.0% (95% CI, 13.8–18.5) than girls 8.0% (95% CI, 6.2–10.2; p<0.001), due to 2-fold higher UTI risk. The prevalence of meningitis in boys was 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1– 0.9) vs. 0.7% (95% CI, 0.2–1.6) in girls and of bacteraemia 1.8% (95% CI, 1.0–2.8) vs. 1.0% (95% CI, 0.4–2.0), respectively. Conclusions: The total SBI prevalence was 12.6%, and UTI represented the vast majority. The prevalence of bacteraemia and meningitis was low, particularly in the 29–60 days age group, without significant difference between boys and girls.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
febrile infant, meningitis, prevalence, serious bacterial infection, sex differences
in
Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics
volume
110
issue
11
pages
3069 - 3076
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85111349667
  • pmid:34310741
ISSN
0803-5253
DOI
10.1111/apa.16043
project
Prevalence of serious bacterial infections and management of febrile infants ≤60 days in Swedish Pediatric Emergency Departments
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f989598b-99a6-4aa4-a5ba-3ef89412e7fa
date added to LUP
2021-09-01 12:06:22
date last changed
2025-10-20 21:43:33
@article{f989598b-99a6-4aa4-a5ba-3ef89412e7fa,
  abstract     = {{<p>Aim: The aim of the study was to describe age- and sex-specific prevalence of serious bacterial infections (SBI: urinary tract infection, bacteraemia, meningitis) among febrile infants ≤60 days in Sweden. Methods: This is a retrospective study in 4 Pediatric Emergency Departments from 2014 to 2017, in previously healthy, full-term infants ≤60 days with fever without a source. Results: Of the 1,701 included infants, 214 (12.6%; 95% CI, 11.1–14.3) had an SBI. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was diagnosed in 196 (11.5%; 95% CI, 10.0–13.1) patients. In the ≤28 and 29–60 days age-groups, meningitis prevalence was 0.9% (95% CI, 0.3–2.0) and 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1–0.8), whereas bacteraemia prevalence was 3.2% (95% CI, 1.9–4.9) and 0.6% (95% CI, 0.2–1.3). The SBI prevalence was higher in boys 16.0% (95% CI, 13.8–18.5) than girls 8.0% (95% CI, 6.2–10.2; p&lt;0.001), due to 2-fold higher UTI risk. The prevalence of meningitis in boys was 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1– 0.9) vs. 0.7% (95% CI, 0.2–1.6) in girls and of bacteraemia 1.8% (95% CI, 1.0–2.8) vs. 1.0% (95% CI, 0.4–2.0), respectively. Conclusions: The total SBI prevalence was 12.6%, and UTI represented the vast majority. The prevalence of bacteraemia and meningitis was low, particularly in the 29–60 days age group, without significant difference between boys and girls.</p>}},
  author       = {{Orfanos, Ioannis and Alfvén, Tobias and Mossberg, Maria and Tenland, Mattias and Sotoca Fernandez, Jorge and Eklund, Erik A. and Elfving, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{0803-5253}},
  keywords     = {{febrile infant; meningitis; prevalence; serious bacterial infection; sex differences}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{3069--3076}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics}},
  title        = {{Age- and sex-specific prevalence of serious bacterial infections in febrile infants ≤60 days, in Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/apa.16043}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/apa.16043}},
  volume       = {{110}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}