Prevention of Biofilms in Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs): A Review

Acquisition of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) is of significant detriment to patients’ health and comfort since such infections increase hospital stay durations, health care costs, and patient morbidity. In addition, CAUTIs can perpetuate antibiotic-resistant bacterial presence, when acquired in the hospital or healthcare setting, thus causing problems after the CAUTI has been treated. The pathogenesis of CAUTIs stems from biofilm growth on an implanted urinary catheter surface and the altered bacterial phenotype. Biofilms are microorganisms that are attached to an inert and/or biotic surface and embedded in an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Several techniques have been developed to produce catheters that aim to delay biofilm formation and subsequently reduce biofilm growth, thus delaying the onset of CAUTI, but these have shown varying degrees of success. In this review, we discuss the etiology of CAUTIs, existing laboratory models of pathogenesis, approaches to disease prevention, and the interconnectivity among these topics.