Catheter-associated UTI

Alternative names:

urinary tract infection associated with a catheter; UTI associated with a catheter

Symptoms:

• pressure in the lower pelvis
• abnormal urine color (cloudy urine)
• blood in the urine (hematuria)
• foul or strong urine odor
• leakage of urine around the catheter

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• flank pain
• fatigue
• fever
• chills
• vomiting
• mental changes or confusion *

* Often in the elderly person, mental changes or confusion are the only signs of a possible urinary tract infection.

Signs and tests:

• A urinalysis commonly reveals white blood cells (WBC) or red blood cells (RBC).
• A urine culture maybe performed to determine the type of bacteria in the urine and the appropriate antibiotic for treatment.