Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI): Prevalence and Management

CAUTI, also known as catheter-associated urinary tract infection, stands out as the most commonly observed healthcare-associated infection within medical settings and is recognized as the leading contributor to secondary bloodstream infections. Notwithstanding the considerable progress made in the realms of diagnosis, prevention, and management of CAUTI, it remains a persistent challenge in the healthcare landscape, persistently imposing a significant burden on healthcare systems globally due to the concerning prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains. The escalating rates of antibiotic resistance associated with CAUTI underscore the urgent need for continued research, innovation, and implementation of effective strategies to combat this formidable infection. This chapter addresses the current paradigms and challenges in CAUTI management, along with future prospects in terms of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. The review will assess clinical and translational evidence, as well as fundamental scientific research underlying preventive and therapeutic methodologies. Emerging diagnostic approaches and decision support tools in development aim to expedite diagnosis, enhance antibiotic precision, and promote stewardship. Ongoing research is exploring new preventive tactics such as catheter coatings, materials, vaccination, and bacterial interference. The antibiotic pipeline remains inadequate, prompting the exploration of novel approaches to identify new antibiotic classes and design rational small molecule inhibitor alternatives for the treatment of CAUTI.