Current patterns in nosocomial urinary tract infections.

Nosocomial infections develop in about 5 percent of patients admitted to acute care hospitals in the United States. The genitourinary tract is the primary site of infection in about 40 percent of cases, and urinary tract instrumentation and catheterization are implicated in about 80 percent of genitourinary tract nosocomial infections. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections are a frequent source of serious patient morbidity, urosepsis, and even death. The pathogenesis, risk factors, consequences, and preventive measures concerning nosocomial urinary tract infections are reviewed, and specific guidelines for catheter management are offered.