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Catheter-associated UTI - Overview

Alternative Names

UTI - associated with a catheter; Urinary tract infection - associated with a catheter

Definition of Catheter-associated UTI:

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection from using tubes (catheters) that drain urine from the body.

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 grow in it. A harmful infection may occur if the number of bacteria becomes large or if specific harmful bacteria grow in the urinary tract.

Bladder catheterization, female

Bladder catheterization, male

Reviewed last on: 5/22/2008
Scott M Gilbert, MD, Department of Urology, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Saint S. Biofilms and catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2003; 17(2): 411-32.

Walsh PC. Campbell's Urology. 8th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2002:1863.

Moore KN, Fader M, Getliffe K. Long-term bladder management by intermittent catheterisation in adults and children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Oct 17;(4):CD006008.

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