title: Peritoneal dialysis infections: an opportunity for improvement.
abstract: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter-associated infections remain a challenging cause of technique failure. Patient training and preventive measures are key elements in the management of infection rates. Twenty-seven of the 167 PD catheter transfer sets analyzed (19%) yielded a positive microbial culture (58% gram-negative bacteria). These results show that subclinical contamination, particularly from environmental gram-negative bacteria, is a potential hazard, indicating the need for a protocol for regular transfer set changes.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Department, Centro Hospitalar do Porto-Hospital Santo Antonio, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar and Unit for Multidisciplinary Investigation in Biomedicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Anabela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Mycology Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, Cidade Universitária, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marília
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maciel
authors.affiliation: Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cledir
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.affiliation: Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Department, Centro Hospitalar do Porto-Hospital Santo Antonio, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar and Unit for Multidisciplinary Investigation in Biomedicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Department, Centro Hospitalar do Porto-Hospital Santo Antonio, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar and Unit for Multidisciplinary Investigation in Biomedicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabrita
authors.affiliation: Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: martins.margarida@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
keywords: Gram-negative; Microbiology; Renal replacement therapy; Transfer set