4. Improperly Cleaned Catheters
Many people have to use catheters regularly and have to change them frequently. This creates an opportunity for the bacteria to be spread. When a person changes their catheter, they come in direct contact with the bacteria if it’s present in the body.
When they touch the new catheter, they put that same bacteria right back in the body. If they go on to touch other things, they are spread that bacteria through their home. This can also happen in nursing homes, clinics, and hospitals where hospital staff is changing catheters and working closely with other patients.
While most do what’s necessary to protect their patients and themselves from infections, it’s easy for the bacteria to travel from person to person. This is the reason that many people who use catheters suffer from chronic urinary tract infections and why there are so many infections that spread through hospitals and nursing homes.