January 2024
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Urinary Tract Infection (Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract
Infection [CAUTI] and Non-Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract
Infection [UTI]) Events
Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Definitions ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Figure 1: Associating Catheter Use to UTI .................................................................................................... 3
Table 1. Urinary Tract Infection Criteria ....................................................................................................... 4
Monthly Summary Data .............................................................................................................................. 10
Table 2: Denominator Data Collection Methods ........................................................................................ 10
Data Analyses .............................................................................................................................................. 13
Rates and Ratios .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Additional Resources .................................................................................................................................. 15
Table 3. CAUTI Measures Available in NHSN .............................................................................................. 16
References .................................................................................................................................................. 17
Introduction
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the fifth most common type of healthcare-associated infection, with an
estimated 62,700 UTIs in acute care hospitals in 2015. UTIs additionally account for more than 9.5% of
infections reported by acute care hospitals
1
. Virtually, all healthcare-associated UTIs are caused by
instrumentation of the urinary tract.
Approximately 12%-16% of adult hospital inpatients will have an indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) at some
time during their hospitalization, and each day the indwelling urinary catheter remains, a patient has a
3%-7% increased risk of acquiring a catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI).
2-3
CAUTIs can lead to such complications as prostatitis, epididymitis, and orchitis, cystitis, pyelonephritis,
gram-negative bacteremia, endocarditis, vertebral osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, endophthalmitis, and
meningitis in patients. Complications associated with CAUTIs cause discomfort to the patient, prolonged
hospital stay, and increased cost and mortality
4
. It has been estimated that each year, more than 13,000
deaths are associated with UTIs.
5
Prevention of CAUTIs is discussed in the CDC/HICPAC document, Guideline for Prevention of Catheter-
associated Urinary Tract Infection.
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