Sex differences in childhood urinary tract infection

Abstract

Comparison of the clinical picture of nonobstructed urinary tract infection in boys and in girls over the age of 1 year revealed marked differences. The male infections were characterized by a high rate of `atypical' bacterial aetiology, macroscopical haematuria, and normal temperature, as compared to the female ones. The proportion of patients getting recurrent infections during long-term follow-up was the same in the two sexes. The number of recurrences was, however, higher in the girls than in the boys. Radiological changes similar to postinfectious scar formation were found in 20% of the boys at their apparent first infection.