The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 26, Issue 1 61-65, Copyright © 1988 by Society for General Microbiology
Bacteriuria and bacteraemia in patients with long-term indwelling catheters--a domiciliary study
L. A. Jewes, W. A. Gillespie, A. Leadbetter, B. Myers, R. A. Simpson, M. J. Stower and A. C. Viant
Department of Microbiology, Bristol and Weston Health Authority.
Men with indwelling catheters and men and women with suprapubic catheters
were studied in their homes. Urine and blood were cultured and body
temperature recorded after every catheter change. Nearly all patients had
infected urine after 4 weeks of catheterisation, and all had bacteriuria
after longer periods, usually with a mixture of organisms. Culture on
selective media revealed a wider range of organisms than was detected on
routine C.L.E.D. and blood agar with antibiotic sensitivity disks, but
routine culture gave adequate information for clinical purposes.
Bacteraemia was demonstrated after 20 of 197 changes of urethral catheter
and after one of 19 changes of suprapubic catheter; but no patient had
pyrexia or other symptoms. However, two had rigors on other occasions. When
assessing "risk factors" for blood-stream infection in catheterised
patients, it is important to record the total incidence of bacteraemia,
asymptomatic as well as symptomatic.
