Study the Prevalence of Bacterial Infection in Under-five Malnourished Children

Background: Malnutrition means both undernutrition and overnutrition. Under-five children who are malnourished are at increased risk of bacterial infection and sepsis, which contribute to morbidity and mortality. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 155 under-five malnourished children through a consecutive sampling method in the Department of Pediatrics at Pt JNM Medical College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India, after obtaining informed consent from their respective parents. Results: The prevalence of bacterial infection in my study was 11.6%. Prevalence was higher in children with severe acute malnutrition (14.4%) compared to children with moderate acute malnutrition. The most common organism isolated was methicillin-resistant <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic>. Conclusion: A significant proportion of under-five malnourished children were complicated by serious bacterial infections, the majority in the form of respiratory illness, like bronchopneumonia. There is a need for intervention to improve the nutritional status of under-five malnourished children.