Bacterial infections in children in sickle cell crisis at the Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

This is a prospective study of forty children in sickle cell crisis with suspected bacterial infections seen at the Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi. Eighteen of these children were found bacteriologically positive on various cultures of blood, urine, stool and throat swabs. The bacteriological data, age distribution and haemato- logical data are presented and discussed. From this study its apparent that bacterial infections are a common cause of hospitalisation of children with sickle cell disease especially in those under six (6) years of age and that respiratory tract infections is the commonest reason for hospitalisation of these children.