Abstract / Summary
Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) remains one of the most frequent healthcare-associated infections in intensive care units (ICUs), contributing substantially to morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, and increased healthcare costs. This study aimed to determine the incidence, risk factors, microbiological profile, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of CAUTI among ICU patients in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology at a tertiary care hospital in Bhubaneswar over a 10-month period from March 2025 to January 2026. A total of 375 catheterized patients clinically suspected of CAUTI and with indwelling urinary catheters for ≥ 2 calendar days were included. Urine samples were processed using standard microbiological techniques, and antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis. Results: Among the 375 patients, 57 (15.2%) developed CAUTI, with a rate of 28.2 infections per 1000 catheter-days. Prolonged catheterization (≥5 days) emerged as the strongest predictor, increasing the odds of CAUTI nearly 11-fold (odds ratio = 10.97, P < 0.001). Patients aged > 50 years and females had significantly higher risks of infection. Diabetes showed a significant association on univariate analysis, but was not an independent predictor after adjustment. Escherichia coli was the predominant pathogen (42.1%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae . High susceptibility was observed to imipenem, colistin, and fosfomycin among Gram-negative isolates. Conclusion: The study highlights prolonged catheterization, advanced age, and female gender as significant determinants of CAUTI. Continuous microbiological surveillance, catheter stewardship, and strict infection-control measures are essential to reduce the burden of CAUTI and guide effective empirical therapy.