The Guilty Ones

Urinary catheters are commonly used in hospitals and long-term care facilities to drain urine from the bladder when a patient is unable to do so. However, they can also introduce bacteria into the urinary tract, leading to a urinary tract infection. In fact, urinary tract infections are one of the most common healthcare-associated infections, and up to 80% of them are associated with the use of a urinary catheter.

Similarly, ventilators are used to help patients breathe when they are unable to do so on their own. However, these devices can also introduce bacteria into the lungs, leading to pneumonia and other respiratory infections. In fact, ventilator-associated pneumonia is one of the most serious complications of mechanical ventilation, and it can significantly increase the risk of death for patients.