Bacteriuria and bacteraemia in patients with long-term indwelling catheters--a domiciliary study.

Men with indwelling catheters and men and women with suprapubic catheters were studied in their homes. Urine and blood were cultured and body temperature recorded after every catheter change. Nearly all patients had infected urine after 4 weeks of catheterisation, and all had bacteriuria after longer periods, usually with a mixture of organisms.