Keywords
Bacteria
Bacteremia
Blood Culture
Child
How to Cite
Abstract
This study aims to determine the prevalence of bacteremia among the surveyed children; identify the most affected age group; determine the most frequently implicated pathogenic species; assess associated risk factors; and investigate the antimicrobial resistance profiles of the responsible pathogens. This was a cross-sectional analytical study conducted among children aged 0 to 6 years presenting with infectious symptoms and hospitalized in the Pediatrics and Intensive Care Units of the General Referral Hospitals in Kisangani. A total of 174 blood samples were subjected to various microbiological tests. Data collection was carried out through guided interviews, document review, and direct observation. Univariate analysis was used to calculate percentages, means, standard deviations, and variances, while bivariate analysis was performed using the Chi-square test. The prevalence of bacteremia among the participants was 24.7%. The most commonly implicated pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus (53.5%) and Escherichia coli (23.3%). Associated risk factors included invasive devices (p = 0.007), medical history (p = 0.000), vaccination status (p = 0.000), parents’ socioeconomic status (p = 0.000), access to healthcare services (p = 0.000), and parents’ educational level (p = 0.000). Most of the isolated bacterial strains were sensitive to the commonly used antibiotics in the city of Kisangani. The prevalence of bacteremia among the surveyed children is considerable, highlighting the need for early microbiological diagnosis and appropriate management in order to reduce morbidity and mortality related to bacterial infections in children.
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