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Catheter-related infections in long-term catheterized dogs. Observations on pathogenesis, diagnostic methods, and
1Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, University of Heidelberg, Germany. alfons_bach@krzmail.krz.uni-heidelberg.de
Background:
Intravascular catheters are associated with severe infections in patients, but only few reports on this problem in animal research exist.
Objective:
We report on catheter-related bacterial colonization and its consequences in long-term catheterized animals.
Material And Method:
Foxhounds were instrumented with intravascular catheters and flow probes to study the regulation of renal blood flow and pressures.
Results:
After flushing the catheters, alterations in renal blood flow were observed and these could be related to bacterial colonization of intravascular catheters with Pseudomonas species. After attention had been focused on aseptic technique in all experimental phases and prophylactic antibiotic lock instituted, the occurrence of Pseudomonas bacteremia ceased, and the magnitude and incidence of catheter-related colonization and infection by Pseudomonas species dropped considerably.
Conclusion:
The catheter-related colonization that occurred spontaneously in these animals resembled findings in animal experiments in which catheter-related infections were deliberately induced as well as observations made with regard to catheter-related infections in patients. This report emphasizes the importance of asepsis when working with animals with long-term intravascular catheters. We suggest that monitoring for this complication, e.g., by means of catheter cultures at the time of removal, should routinely be part of protocols for animal experiments using long-term intravascular catheters.