title: Mini-review: Antimicrobial central venous catheters--recent advances and strategies.
abstract: Central venous catheters (CVCs) nowadays constitute critical devices used in medical care, namely in intensive care units. However, CVCs also represent one of the indwelling medical devices with enhanced risk of nosocomial device-related infection. Catheter-related infections (CRIs) are a major cause of patient morbidity and mortality, often justifying premature catheter removal and an increase in costs and use of resources. Adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation on the surfaces of indwelling catheters is elemental to the onset of pathogenesis. Seeking the prevention of CVC colonisation and CRI, a variety of approaches have been studied, tested and, in some cases, already applied in clinical practice. This review looks at the current preventive strategies often used to decrease the risk of CRIs due to colonization and biofilm formation on catheter surfaces, as well as at the more recent approaches under investigation.
authors: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
authors: Cláudia
authors: C
authors: Sousa
authors: Mariana
authors: M
authors: Henriques
authors: Rosário
authors: R
authors: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001435:Bacteriophages; D018441:Biofilms; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000382:microbiology*; D004337:Drug Carriers; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D004337:Drug Carriers