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Question 10#

The most frequent nosocomial infection is:

A. Urinary tract infection (UTI)
B. Sepsis
C. Pneumonia
D. Fungal infection

Correct Answer is A

Comment:

The most frequent nosocomial infection is urinary tract infection (UTI). These infections are classified into complicated and uncomplicated forms. The uncomplicated type is a UTI that can be treated with outpatient antibiotic therapy. The complicated UTI usually involves a hospitalized patient with an indwelling catheter whose UTI is diagnosed as part of a fever workup. The interpretation of urine culture results of less than 100,000 CFU/mL is controversial. Before treating such a patient, one should change the catheter and then repeat the culture to see whether the catheter was simply colonized with organisms. Cultures with more than 100,000 CFU/mL should be treated with the appropriate antibiotics and the catheter should be changed or removed as soon as possible. Under-treatment or misdiagnosis of a UTI can lead to urosepsis and septic shock.