The Potential Use of Blood Culture Systems for Diagnosing Intravascular Catheter-Related Infections
Cermak, P.; Cermakova, S.; Schwarzerova, A.; Klementova, M.; Ulrychova, M.; Mazurova, J.
Clinical Laboratory 57(1-2): 13-20
2011
ISSN/ISBN: 1433-6510 PMID: 21391460 Document Number: 15520
Background: A microbiological method for the quantitative analysis of intravascular catheter infections using the BacT/Alert and Bactec blood culture systems is presented. Methods: The number of bacteria present on an intravascular catheter surface was determined by the time to detection of positivity in a blood culture bottle inoculated with a suspension of bacteria shaken from the catheter surface. Results: The new method was used to examine 573 intravascular catheters. In 94.6 % of the cases, the results of microbiological analysis of catheters were in accordance with the patient's clinical condition. Twenty-eight (4.8 %) cases were false positive and ten (1.7 %) were false negative. Based on clinical signs, 49 cases of catheter-related sepsis were diagnosed. In 39 (79.6 % ) of those, the microbiological analysis of intravascular catheters was positive (kappa = 0.69). The most frequently detected pathogens were coagulase-negative staphylococci. Conclusions: In comparison to the current procedures, the new method is easier, faster, and capable of detecting the most common causative agents of catheter-related infections.
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