Comparison of Frequency of UTI between Circumcised and Uncircumcised Children Presenting at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most frequent bacterial infections in children and an important cause of morbidity. The presence or absence of circumcision in male children has been identified as a key factor influencing UTI susceptibility. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of urinary tract infections between circumcised and uncircumcised male children presenting with fever and dysuria. Methodology: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital and The Institute of Child Health, Lahore from January 2025 to May 2025. A total of 150 male children aged 2 to 12 years were included using a non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Urine samples were collected under aseptic conditions and analyzed by culture and sensitivity testing. Results: The mean age of participants was 6.1 ± 2.9 years. Out of 150 children, 75 (50%) were circumcised and 75 (50%) were uncircumcised. UTI was diagnosed in 39.7% of uncircumcised children compared to 12.0% of circumcised children (p = 0.001). Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated pathogen (70.6%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (14.7%), Proteus mirabilis (8.8%), and Enterococcus species (5.9%). Conclusion: It is concluded that urinary tract infections occur significantly more frequently among uncircumcised male children compared to circumcised ones. Circumcision provides a clear protective effect against UTI in boys. The most commonly isolated organism was Escherichia coli, followed by Klebsiella and Proteus species