Surveillance and Prevention of Vascular Catheter-Associated Infections

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) remain a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. This update reviews current epidemiology, evidence-based prevention bundles, and emerging strategies such as antiseptic barrier caps, antimicrobial lock solutions, and vascular access stewardship. It emphasizes diagnostic and antibiotic stewardship to reduce unnecessary catheter use and false positive infections. Expanding surveillance to include hospital-onset bacteremia and recognizing peripheral intravenous catheter-related infections are critical future directions. A multidisciplinary approach integrating infection prevention, stewardship, and patient-centered care is essential to further reduce CLABSI incidence and improve outcomes.