Korean J Nosocomial Infect Control.  2001 Dec;6(2):111-116.

Outbreak of Nosocomial Urinary Tract Infections caused by Candida spp.

• Choi JS
• Kim KH
• Sun YK
• Kim YA

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Urinary tract is the most common site of nosocomial infections, accounting for 35% of all nosocomial infections. About 80-90% of these urinary tract infections are associated with urethral catheter insertion. Recently, we experienced an outbreak of nosocomial UTI (urinary tract infection) caused by Candida spp. in the surgical ICU (SICU) and we investigated the cause of UTI outbreak.
METHODS
We collected data from clinical records and observed the current methods of care of urethral catheters in the SlCU. During the outbreak, we investigated the current procedures and maintenance care of urethral catheter insertion and educated the staff on the correct methods of the catheter insertion and care. We performed surveillance cultures of unused new urine bags,
RESULTS
Between May 2000 and June 2000, 17 Candida spp. strains were isolated from urines of 17 patients hospitalized in the SICU of National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital. All infections were attributed to the care of urethral catheter insertion and contaminated bags. We identified that routine bladder irrigation and emptying urine to a common urinal have been done incorrectly during the outbreak period. Rodotorula spp. was isolated from 4 urine bags (50% contamination rate) out of 8 unused new urine bags by surveillance cultures.
CONCLUSION
The causes of the UTI outbreak caused by Candida spp. was terminated by outbreak investigation and change of contaminated urine bag.

Keyword

Candida spp.; Nosocomial outbreak; Urinary tract infection; Contaminated urine bag

MeSH Terms

Candida*
Catheters
Cross Infection
Humans
National Health Programs
Urinary Bladder
Urinary Catheters
Urinary Tract Infections*
Urinary Tract*