Despite the risk of developing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), catheter reuse is common among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). This study examined the microbiological burden and catheter surface changes associated with short-term reuse. Ten individuals with chronic SCI reused their catheters over 3 days. Urine and catheter swab cultures were collected daily for analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses were used to assess catheter surface changes. Catheter swab cultures showed no growth after 48 h (47.8%), skin flora (28.9%), mixed flora (17.8%), or bacterial growth (5.5%). Asymptomatic bacteriuria was found for most participants at baseline (n = 9) and all at follow-up (n = 10). Urine samples contained Escherichia coli (58%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (30%), Enterococcus faecalis (26%), Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (10%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6%) or Proteus vulgaris (2%). Most urine cultures showed resistance to one or more antibiotics (62%). SEM images demonstrated structural damage, biofilm and/or bacteria on all reused catheter surfaces. XPS analyses also confirmed the deposition of bacterial biofilm on reused catheters. Catheter surface changes and the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria were evident following short-term reuse, which may increase susceptibility to CAUTI in individuals with SCI despite asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Biomedicines. 2023 Jul 07*** epublish ***
Tiev Miller, Dirk Lange, Jayachandran N Kizhakkedathu, Kai Yu, Demian Felix, Soshi Samejima, Claire Shackleton, Raza N Malik, Rahul Sachdeva, Matthias Walter, Andrei V Krassioukov
International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada., Department of Urologic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada., Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.