Bacterial species and antimicrobial resistance differ between catheter and non–catheter-associated urinary tract infections: Data from a national surveillance network

To investigate clinically relevant microbiological characteristics of uropathogens and to compare patients with catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) to those with non-CAUTIs.

All urine cultures from the calendar year 2019 of the Swiss Centre for Antibiotic Resistance database were analyzed. Group differences in the proportions of bacterial species and antibiotic-resistant isolates from CAUTI and non-CAUTI samples were investigated.

CAUTI pathogens were more often resistant to recommended empirical antibiotics than non-CAUTI pathogens. This finding emphasizes the need for urine sampling for culturing before initiating therapy for CAUTI and the importance of considering therapeutic alternatives.