title: Intravenous catheter infections associated with bacteraemia: a 2-year study in a university hospital.
abstract: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the incidence and aetiology of central and peripheral venous catheter (C/PVC) infections during a 2-year period (1999-2000) and to determine the susceptibility of isolated microorganisms to various antimicrobial agents. Catheter tips were processed using the semiquantitative method and blood cultures were performed with the BacT/Alert automated system. Antibiotic susceptibilities were performed by disk agar diffusion and MICs were determined by Etest, according to NCCLS standards. During the study period, samples from 1039 C/PVC infections were evaluated, yielding 384 (37.0%) positive cultures. Blood cultures were also available from 274 patients, of which 155 (56.6%) yielded the same microorganism as from the catheter. No bloodstream infections were detected in 104 C/PVC-positive cases. Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most frequent isolates, followed by Gram-negative bacteria, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Resistance to glycopeptides among staphylococci and enterococci was not detected, whereas 60% of Gram-negative bacilli were resistant to beta-lactams.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26500, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paragioudaki
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stamouli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kolonitsiou
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Anastassiou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dimitracopoulos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Spiliopoulou
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D008712:Methicillin