Risk factors and biofilm detection on central venous catheters of patients attended at tertiary hospital

Aim: To determinate the significance of risk factors with the presence of biofilm on catheters of patients attended at tertiary hospital cares. Material and methods: A total of 126 patients were included, data collection by observing the handling of the CVC, clinical history and microbiological isolation methods of CVCs tips (Roll-plate, sonication and scanning electron microscopy) were evaluated. Results: Certain factors, such as the lack of proper hand washing, the use of primary barriers and preparing medications in the same hospital service, showed an important relationship between biofilm formation in CVCs. The sonication method presented that most of the samples had isolation of multispecies 29 samples (64%25); in contrast with the roll-plate method, just one sample (3%25) was isolated. Conclusions: The importance of the strict aseptic techniques of insertion and of the handlings of CVC was highlighted, the failure of both techniques was related to the biofilm formation and was evidenced using the scanning electron microscopy. Since this tool is not available in most hospitals, we present the correlation of those evidences with other standard microbiological methods and risk factors, which are necessary for the sensible detection of the different steps of the biofilm formation on CVC and their correct interpretation with clinical evidences. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

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