Staphylococcus nasal carriage and infection of central venous ports in oncology

• Published in: Annales françaises d'anesthésie et de réanimation Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 93 - 95
• Main Authors: Ranchère, J Y, Gordiani, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 01.02.2000
• Subjects: Carrier State; Catheterization, Central Venous; Catheters, Indwelling - microbiology; Equipment Contamination; Humans; Neoplasms - complications; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Nose - microbiology; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sensitivity and Specificity; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology
• ISSN: 0750-7658

To assess the risk of infection of either subcutaneously implanted central venous access devices or percutaneous central venous catheters inserted via a subcutaneous tunnel in cancer patients with a positive staphylococcal nasal carriage. Prospective study. The study included 266 patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy. A nasal swab was taken prior to insertion of the venous access device and the patients were followed over 30 days for the occurrence of a staphylococcal infection (hemoculture and device or site of insertion). A nasal staphylococcal nasal carriage was found in 227 patients. Out of the 15 developing a device infection, a staphylococcal nasal colonization was existing in nine patients. Bacteriological screening a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 13%. Bacteriological screening at the time of device insertion of a central venous access device is of no value for the detection of patients at risk of staphylococcal infection of the device.