Screening of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Sickle Cell Pediatric Patients

Abstract

ickle cell disease (SCD) is a multi-systemic disease of episodic acute illness and severe organ damage, it is one of the autosomal-recessive monogenic disorders worldwide. Sickle cell disease is a genetic mutation in which GTG is substituted for GAG in the sixth codon of the β-globin gene, leads to replacement of a hydrophilic glutamic acid residue (Glu) with a hydrophobic valine residue (Val) at the sixth position in the β-globin chain, resulting in a mutated haemoglobin molecule in individuals Red blood cells. Several studies indicated that SCD patients are more prone to develop bacteriuria when compared to their healthy counter parts. SCD patients are of increased susceptibility to urinary tract infections as a result of alteration of the blood flow in the renal vasculature which causes papillary necrosis and loss of the concentrating and acidifying abilities of the nephrons leading to formation of abnormally diluted and alkaline urine which enhances bacterial proliferation. Long term urinary infections in people with SCD may result in chronic kidney disease, in poor resource settings, early detection and management of ASB in SCD children may retard this progression. However, the major determinants for ASB in children with SCD as well as ASB is a warning sign to more serious renal disease in children with SCD are unclear, so this study was taken to estimate the prevalence of ASB,its major determinants and its effect on kidney functions in SCD for early detection and treatment.