Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)/Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)

CAUTI and UTI

Background

When germs enter the bladder or kidneys, it can cause an infection called a urinary tract infection (UTI). Some people have a tube called a urinary catheter in their bladder to drain urine. When germs enter the body through a urinary catheter, it can cause a catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI).
How long the catheter has been in place is the most important CAUTI risk factor. Other risk factors include female sex and older age (Patel et al., 2023).

Following recommended infection prevention practices before and after a urinary catheter is placed can help reduce the risk of CAUTI. 

 

 

 

Educational Resources

VDH Infection Prevention and Control Assessments: The HAI/AR team is available to conduct a no-cost, non-regulatory, onsite visit to help a facility identify its infection prevention strengths and areas of opportunity.

Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 

Bladder Safe

  • BladderSafe – resources for reducing UTI and CAUTI 

Infectious Diseases Society of America

Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group

Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center

World Health Organization 

 

 

 

Setting-Specific Resources

CDC Interfacility Transfer Form - The patient transfer form helps make it easier to share information when patients are moved between different places for care. Hospitals and groups focused on making patient safety better can change and use this form to fit their needs.

 

 

 

Data & Reporting

  • CMS Care Compare – a searchable database of Medicare-certified facilities including hospitals and long-term acute care hospitals. Allows users to compare facilities on a variety of quality measures including CAUTI and other facility characteristics.

National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)

  • Resources related to reporting CAUTI events to NHSN are available on the CDC website, including protocols, data collection forms, and analysis resources. 
  • Acute care hospital and long-term acute care hospital CAUTI data can be accessed on the VDH HAI/AR Program Data website. 

Virginia Communicable Disease & Outbreak Reporting Requirements

Last Updated: October 16, 2024