[Fourteen Cases of Implanted Central Venous Access Port-Related Bloodstream Infection]

Area of Science:

• Clinical microbiology
• Infectious diseases
• Medical device infections

Background:

• Central venous (CV) ports are crucial for long-term therapies.
• CV port-related infections pose a significant clinical challenge.
• Accurate diagnosis and identification of causative agents are essential for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical characteristics of CV port-related infections.
• To identify common causative pathogens and their associated clinical findings.
• To analyze the relationship between clinical presentation, pathogen type, and prognosis.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective clinical study was conducted at Tokyo Rosai Hospital.
• Fourteen patients with suspected CV port infections were analyzed.
• Data collected included patient background, causative bacteria, qSOFA scores, port duration, inflammatory findings, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) was the most frequent pathogen (50%), often associated with low qSOFA scores and minimal local inflammation.
• Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 21% of infections.
• Candida species caused 29% of infections.
• Cases lacking local inflammatory signs frequently involved MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) or Candida, suggesting diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.

Conclusions:

• CNS is a common cause of CV port infections, frequently presenting with mild systemic illness.
• The absence of local inflammatory findings may indicate infections by more challenging pathogens like MRSA or Candida.
• Further research is needed to optimize diagnostic and treatment strategies for CV port infections, especially in cases lacking overt local signs of infection.