Bacterio-clinical Characteristics of Pathogens Isolated from Febrile Children in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Febrile illness is a broad clinical term, generally considered to be caused by pathogens and
characterized by fever.There are myriad of infectious agents that trigger fever. While acute febrile
illness cases in Africa are often attributed to malaria or viral infections,bacterial, fungal, and other
parasitic causes exist. A total of 660 venous Blood and mid-stream urine samples were collected
from study participants with acute fever ≥ 37.5oC from May to November, 2024 and analyzed at
Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos.The participants were recruited from Primary
Health Centres (PHCs) in the 3 senatorial district of Lagos covering Alimosho, Surulere and
Ikorodu LGA. Bacterial isolates were identified using Microbacttmgnb 24E test system.
Sociodemographic and metadata of participants were also assessed. Pathogenic bacteria were
detected in 9.6 % (63 of 660) and characterized into bacteremia with urinary tract infections (UTIs)
( 65% :41 of 63), bacteremia (27% ), UTIs ( 8%). The highest number of participants having
bacteremia with UTI were from Ikorodu ( 56% :23 of 41), Alimosho ( 27% ), and Surulere (
17%).The commonest pathogen found in all sites was Escherichia coli (35%:22 of 63). Species of
Acinetobacter spp, Klebsiella spp, Citrobacter spp, Enterobacter spp, Stenotrophoma spp and
Averyella spp were also isolated. Participants primary source of drinking water was borehole
(77%). Low haemoglobin level ( < 10g/dl) was found in 66% of all the participants and in 79% of
participants with pathogens. Diagnosing children with febrile illness of bacterial etiology unveiled
a diversity of other causes of fever in under-5 children.