A STUDY TO ASSESS THE PREVALENCE OF CATHETER ASSOCIATED URINARY TRACT INFECTION (CAUTI) AMONG PATIENTS ADMITTED IN ICU SETTINGS AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, WESTERN U.P

Abstract

Background: Among the health care associated infections, Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) represents a large portion globally, comprising up to 35%-40% of all nosocomial infections. In Indian Intensive Care Unit (ICU) settings, reported prevalence rates typically vary from 8.8% to 11.35%, contributing to prolonged hospital days and an increase in the number of patient morbidity. CAUTI stands as a largely preventable complication demanding dedicated adherence to standardized protocols and care bundles. Objective: To assess the prevalence of Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) among patients admitted in ICU settings at Tertiary Care Hospital, Western U.P. Methods: A quantitative research approach with a cross-sectional research design was adopted. The study was conducted at Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel (SVBP) Hospital in Meerut among 100 patients admitted to the ICU settings through Non probability convenience sampling technique. Urine samples were collected under strict aseptic technique and were sent for microbiological examination. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics . Results: In this study, 8% of the catheterized patients developed CAUTI. The majority of patients were 58-68 years old (38%), with male predominance (56%). Among the infected cases (n=8), Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen at 37.5% (n=3), followed by Klebsiella species at 25% (n=2), Pseudomonas at 12.5% (n=1), Enterococcus at 12.5% (n=1), Candida at 12.5% (n=1). CAUTI incidence increased with the corresponding increase in the clinical signs and symptoms. Data analysis indicated a highly significant association between gender with the occurrence of CAUTI. Conclusion: There was a notable prevalence of CAUTI among the study population. This shows that there is a need for more strict adherence to care bundles, sequential monitoring of patients for signs and symptoms of CAUTI and timely removal of catheters are necessary to reduce the burden of health care associated infections.