Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common health care–associated infections (HAIs), representing up to 40% of all HAIs. 1–3 Most health care–associated UTIs (70%) are associated with urinary catheters, but as many as 95% of UTIs in intensive care units (ICUs) are associated with catheters. 4, 5 Approximately 20% of patients have a urinary catheter placed at some time during their hospital stay, 6, 7 especially in ICUs, in long-term care facilities, and increasingly in home care settings. 3, 4, 8 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that up to 139,000 catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs) occurred in US hospitals in 2007. 4

CAUTIs are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and costs. Hospital-associated bloodstream infection from a urinary source has a case fatality of 32.8%. 9, 10 Each episode of CAUTI is estimated to cost $600; if associated with a bloodstream infection, costs increase to $2800. 11 Nationally, CAUTIs result in an estimated $131 million annual excess medical costs. 4