CAUTI Definitions
• Surveillance definitions for UTI recently modified in NHSN (as of Jan 2009)
– Please refer to NHSN Patient Safety Manual
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/library.html
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Count symptomatic UTI (SUTI) only, not asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB)
– Exception is “ABUTI” (asymptomatic bacteremic UTI) – see NHSN manual above
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Clinical significance of ASB unclear
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Should not screen for or treat ASB routinely, except in certain clinical situations
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Most literature to date includes ASB in outcomes, making interpretation of data difficult