Protocol for detection of biofilms on needleless connectors attached to central venous catheters.
Central venous catheter needleless connectors (NCs) have been shown to develop microbial contamination. A protocol was developed for the collection, processing, and examination of NCs to detect and measure biofilms on these devices. Sixty-three percent of 24 NCs collected from a bone marrow transplant center contained biofilms comprised primarily of coagulase-negative staphylococci.
Donlan
R M
RM
Hospital Infections Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. rld8@cdc.gov
Murga
R
R
Bell
M
M
Toscano
C M
CM
Carr
J H
JH
Novicki
T J
TJ
Zuckerman
C
C
Corey
L C
LC
Miller
J M
JM
D018441:Biofilms; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods; D016972:Enterobacter cloacae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D004867:Equipment Design; D001411:Geobacillus stearothermophilus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013171:Spores, Bacterial; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure