Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI) and Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) in Critical Care Units of a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Retrospective Surveillance Study.

BACKGROUND

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) and central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) are important preventable device-associated healthcare-related infections in critical care settings and are associated with prolonged hospitalization, adverse outcomes, and increased treatment burden. This study evaluated the incidence and trends of these infections in the critical care units of a tertiary care hospital during the study period.

METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective analysis of routinely collected surveillance records from the critical care units of a tertiary care teaching hospital from July 2019 to December 2020. Standard surveillance definitions were applied throughout. Data on patient-days, device-days, CAUTI events, CLABSI events, device utilization, and hand hygiene compliance were collected and analyzed. Trends across the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods were compared, and the association between hand hygiene compliance and infection rates was assessed.

RESULTS

During the study period, 30,263 patient-days, 16,943 urinary catheter-days, and 11,891 central line-days were recorded. A total of 43 CAUTI events and 138 CLABSI events were identified. Infection rates varied across months and units, with higher burdens observed in some adult critical care areas and among lower birth-weight groups in the neonatal intensive care unit. CLABSI rates increased substantially during the pandemic period compared with the pre-pandemic period, while CAUTI rates also showed variation over time. Hand hygiene compliance remained low during the surveillance period.

CONCLUSIONS

Device-associated infection rates remained high in the critical care units studied and worsened during the pandemic period, particularly for CLABSI. Strengthening device-care practices, maintaining surveillance systems, and improving hand hygiene compliance remain essential to reducing infection burden in tertiary critical care settings.