Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection from using tubes (catheters) that drain urine from the body.
Alternative Names:
UTI - associated with a catheter; Urinary tract infection - associated with a catheter
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
The presence of a catheter within the urinary tract increases the likelihood of urinary tract infection. It may also increase the difficulty of treating the infection.
If a urinary catheter is left in place for long periods of time, bacteria will inevitably grow in it. A harmful infection may occur if the number of bacteria becomes large or if specific pathologic bacteria grow in the urinary tract.
* Often in an elderly person, mental changes, or confusion are the only signs of a possible urinary tract infection.
Signs and tests:
A urinalysis may show white blood cells (WBCs) or red blood cells (RBCs).
A urine culture maybe performed to determine the type of bacteria in the urine and the appropriate antibiotic for treatment.
Review Date: 5/10/2006
Reviewed By: Neil D. Sherman, MD, Urologist, Essex County, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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General Urology
