A Comparison Between Bacterial Resistance to Common Antibiotics in Breast-Fed and Bottle-Fed Female Infants With Urinary Tract Infection

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common cause for diseases in infants. Various studies have suggested that infants with UTI benefit from a lower rate of breastfeeding compared to control groups. Our experimental evidence showed if breastfed infants are infected with a UTI, their response to treatment is faster and better. Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare bacterial resistance to common antibiotics in breastfed and bottle-fed female infant. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical study, urine cultures (Uc) were conducted on female infants, under 2 years old, with UTIs. Antibiograms were conducted for Gentamicin, Ampicillin, Amikacin, Ceftriaxone, Cefixime, Cephalexin, Nitrofurantoine, Nalidixic acid, and Cotrimoxazole. The results of the two groups were compared: 1) breastfed infants (BrF) and 2) bottle-fed infants (BoF). Results: Based on our inclusion criteria, 377 female infants suspected of having UTIs were introduced to the study. Among them, 73 infants were excluded from the study. In both groups, the lowest resistance was against Nitrofurantoine (0.7% in BrF vs. 11.2% in BoF) and the highest resistance was against Cotrimoxazole (30.6% in BrF vs. 68.4% in BoF). Conclusions: Breastfeeding causes lower bacterial resistance to common antibiotics compared to bottle-feeding.