Incidence and risk factors of infections associated with peripheral intravenous catheters

To study the incidence and risk factors of bacterial colonisation of peripheral venous catheters during the early neonatal period.

Prospective observational clinical study.

Level II neonatal intensive care unit.

Consecutive neonates in whom peripheral catheter was inserted were recruited.

The insertion site was cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and chlorhexidine for 30 s consecutively. A needleless catheter access device was attached to peripheral catheters. A dedicated observer reviewed the catheter sites regularly for complications. On removal, the tip of the catheter was cut under sterile conditions and sent to the laboratory for culture. Only catheters indwelling for >12 h were sent for culture.

Bacteria were isolated from 22 out of 154 catheter tips. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (n = 13) was the most common organism constituting more than 50% of isolates. In five out of 22 isolates, the organism from the catheter tip was identical to the one from the skin. Systemic sepsis at enrolment was positively associated with colonisation of peripheral catheter. None of the neonates developed peripheral catheter-related bloodstream infection.

When proper infection control measures are in place, risk of peripheral venous catheter-related infection appears extremely low in spite of frequent colonisation of the catheter.