Infect Chemother.  2005 Apr;37(2):65-70.

Central Venous Catheter Colonization and Bloodstream Infection: Influence of Catheter Insertion Site and Duration

• Cho HJ
• Choi YH
• Shin SS
• Oh YJ
• Hwang SC

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although central venous catheters have become lifelines for the critically ill patients, these devices represent a major source of nosocomial bloodstream infections. We performed a study to investigate the rates of catheter colonization and bloodstream infection associated with the site of placement and indwelling time.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We studied prospectively the rate of central venous catheter related infections and colonization from May to August 2002. At the time of central venous catheter removal, two sets of peripheral blood cultures were obtained and catheter tip culture was performed using roll-plate semiquantitative method and broth culture.
RESULTS
The rates of catheter colonization and bloodstream infection were 10.1%, 8.9%, respectively. Based on catheter indwelling time, catheter colonization and bloodstream infection occurred in 10.6 and 5.0 cases per 1000 catheter day, respectively. The leading organisms causing catheter related bloodstream infection were Candida species (44%) and S. aureus (33.3%). Catheter colonization and bloodstream infection all began 7days after central venous catheter insertion and mean time were 20.5+/-9.8, 19.8+/-9.9 days respectively.
CONCLUSION
The rate of central venous catheter colonization and bloodstream infection is high and it begins 7 days after central venous catheter insertion and mean time is about 20 days. There were no differences among sites of catheter placement.

Keyword

Central venous catheter; Catheter related infections

MeSH Terms

Candida
Catheter-Related Infections
Catheters*
Central Venous Catheters*
Colon*
Critical Illness
Humans
Prospective Studies