A tertiary hospital reports 3 cases of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in 2 weeks in the same urology ward. All grow Candida tropicalis. What is the CDC definition threshold for CAUTI (as a symptomatic UTI component)?
- A Any growth in catheterised specimen regardless of colony count
- B ≥10^5 CFU/mL from a mid-stream clean-catch urine (not specific to catheter)
- C ≥10^4 CFU/mL from catheterised urine for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients alike
- D ≥10^3 CFU/mL of ≤2 organisms from a catheterised urine specimen in a patient with symptoms/signs ✓
Correct answer: D. ≥10^3 CFU/mL of ≤2 organisms from a catheterised urine specimen in a patient with symptoms/signs
Explanation
Per CDC NHSN 2022 criteria, CAUTI (symptomatic UTI in a catheterised patient) requires: urinary catheter in place for >2 days, at least one sign or symptom (fever >38°C, suprapubic tenderness, CVA tenderness), and a positive urine culture of ≥10^3 CFU/mL with no more than 2 species of organisms from a catheterised specimen. The 10^5 CFU/mL threshold is for non-catheterised mid-stream urine. Any growth regardless of count is not a sufficient criterion.
Reference: Ananthanarayan & Paniker's Textbook of Microbiology, 11th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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