Incidence, Bacteriological Profile and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections in a Tertiary Care Hospital

y During the past three decades, especially in developed countries there are adequate and effective Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI) control programs and implementations are being focused. But in developing countries, due to lack of awareness and effective implementable infection control policies, there is no adequate comparative data to validate the safe healthcare delivery system. Thus this descriptive surveillance study was aimed to find the Incidence rate of Catheter Associated Infections (CA-UTIs) in a tertiary care hospital, Puducherry over a period of three years (2016, 2017 & 2018). From all confirmed CA-UTI cases, demographic details, patient distribution, bacteriological profile and antibiotic resistance pattern was aimed. Strict hand hygiene, aseptic practices and catheter bundle care approaches were meticulously emphasized and monitored regularly. The incidence rate of CA-UTI during 2016, 2017 and 2018 was calculated as 7.9, 4.8 and 2.9 per 1000 catheter days respectively. Male gender preponderance was noticed, with majority of age-group belongs to 61 years and above. E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were found to be the commonest bacterial Uro-pathogens with moderate to high level resistance to various antibiotics tested. This study ensures that strict hand hygiene, appropriate and adequate usage of Personal Protective Equipment's (PPE), aseptic measures and adherence to infection control bundles will reduce the incidence and burden of CA-UTI.