[Change of pathogeus and pathogen persistence in chronic urinary tract infections in childhood. E. coli-O-serotypes in follow-up].

In 171 children with urinary tract infections, all strains of E. coli O isolated from the urine in the course of two years were serotyped. The serogroups 06, 02, 08 and 01 were predominant. Follow-up examinations revealed a 78% incidence of reinfection, while relapses (= identical E. coli serotypes or pathogen species) only occurred in 22% of all new episodes. Two thirds of all reinfections by E. coli occurred within two months of the previous E. coli infection.