[Antibiotic treatment of pyelonephritis in children. Recent advances].

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections in infancy, its prevalence being 5% in febrile infants (2 to 24 months of age). 10 to 20% of febrile UTIs may result in permanent renal damage (scar), whose long-term significance (hypertension or proteinuria) in previously normal kidneys remains unclear. A wide variety of antibiotic agents have been used, generally administered aggressively by intravenous route and for long periods (up to three weeks), to possibly prevent scar formation and/or sepsis complications. Recent studies suggest that children with febrile UTIs can be effectively treated with oral antibiotics such as cefixime or amoxycillin/clavulanic acid for 10 to 14 days.