Catheter associated urinary tract infections; prevalence among admitted burn patients in the burn wards of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja-Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Major burn is associated with significant change in intravascular fluid volume that requires fluid resuscitation. The resuscitation is monitored to ensure fluid balance. Urethral catheterization is essential to collect urine during the process. Catheterization promotes bacterial colonization of urethra. Catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) may thus complicate burn patient’s management. A prevalence study of CAUTI was carried out among the burns patients of Lagos State
University Teaching Hospital to determine the morbidity burden.
Methods: Urine samples were collected from catheterized burn patients on admission between 1st of July 2009 and 31st December 2010 and  processed in the microbiology laboratory. The demographic data were collected from the case notes and their descriptive analysis carried out using SPSS version 16 software.

Results: A total of 1568 urine samples were collected from all units of the hospital including 32 (2%) from catheterized burn patients. The age range for patients with burn injury was from 2 to 45 years and male: female ratio of 1.5:1. Sixteen per cent of all urine samples yielded growth; 2% were from burn patients. The difference in the rates of CAUTI among burns patients and other hospitalized patients was not statistically significant. The predominant causative agent was Escherichia coli (60%) followedby Acinetobacter baumannii (20%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20%). Resistance to the first line antibiotics was quite high.

Conclusion: Efforts should be made towards reducing the incidence of CAUTI among cases with burns.Keywords: Urinary catheter, urinary tract infection, burns, Nigeria.