Introduction: Anatomy of UTI
- Common catalyst bacteria: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC).
- Catalyst bacteria in CAUTI: UPEC, Gram-positive bacteria, and fungi.
Types of UTI
- CAUTI.
- Urethra infection (urethritis).
- Bladder infection (cystitis) – the most common.
- Kidney infection (pyelonephritis).
- Vaginal infection (vaginitis).
- Bloodstream infection.
Symptoms and Risk Factors
Symptoms:
- Dysuria.
- Urinary frequency and urgency.
- Vaginal discharge, odor, itching.
- Fever.
- Nausea.
- Abdominal pain.
- Rental symptoms.
Risk Factors:
- Sex (women – higher risk levels).
- Poor hygiene.
- History of UTI.
- Long-term indwelling catheter.
- Diabetes.
- Pregnancy.
Epidemiology
- Women >65 – incidence rate higher by 9%.
- Women are target demographic.
- Cystitis frequency – 0.5 episodes per year (every woman).
- > half of UTI cases catalyzed by UPEC (Medina & Castillo-Pino,2019).
Preventive Measures
- Wipe front to back.
- Proper hydration.
- Good hygiene.
- Avoiding scented products.
- Urinating before and after sexual intercourse.
- Changing diapers frequently (for elderly).
Groups of Risk
Nursing home setting:
- older women.
- women requiring assistance in performing ADLs.
Prevention:
- hydration.
- hygiene.
- cleaning after bowel movement.
- timely urination.
Education
Patients:
- group education sessions.
- individual counseling.
Nurses:
- timely intervention.
- meaningful participation in residents’ daily life.
Summary
- UTI is a dangerously common infection
- Preventive measures are not complicated
- Follow-through of education outcomes through counseling
- Women as the most seriously affected demographic
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. (2021). Urinary tract infection.
Gupta, K., Grigoryan, L., & Trautner, B. (2017). Urinary tract infection. Annals of Internal Medicine, 167(7), ITC49-ITC64.
Klein, R. D., & Hultgren, S. J. (2020). Urinary tract infections: microbial pathogenesis, host–pathogen interactions and new treatment strategies. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 18(4), 211-226.
Medina, M., & Castillo-Pino, E. (2019). An introduction to the epidemiology and burden of urinary tract infections. Therapeutic Advances in Urology, 11.
National Healthcare Safety Network. (2021). Urinary tract infection (catheter-associated urinary tract infection [CAUTI] and non-catheter-associated urinary tract infection [UTI]) events [PDF document].