ABSTRACT
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most frequently reported nosocomial infection, accounting for up to 40% of infections. The vast majority of these infections are associated with urinary catheters. Urinary catheters are widely used in health care today, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting, in long-term care facilities, and in patients with spinal cord injury. Indwelling urinary catheters are similar to other catheters, such as intravascular catheters, in that they disrupt the normal host immune mechanisms and allow for the formation of biofilm. Urinary catheters, however, are unique in the frequency of bacterial colonization, the etiologic organisms, and the types of components that make up their biofilm. These factors have important implications for treatment and prevention of UTI in the catheterized patient.
