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Value of direct catheter staining in the diagnosis of intravascular-catheter-related infection.

Department of Microbiology, Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

ABSTRACT

Ninety-nine intravascular catheters were evaluated by a semiquantitative culture and Gram and acridine orange direct stains. A diagnosis of catheter-related infection was determined by a retrospective review of clinical records. Compared with the culture method, direct examination of catheters lacked sensitivity. Surprisingly, for some patients, a positive stain for yeasts not recovered by culture was considered significant. The culture correlated with bacteremia but failed to predict infection in 42% of patients.

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• Safdar, N., Fine, J. P., Maki, D. G. (2005). Meta-Analysis: Methods for Diagnosing Intravascular Device-Related Bloodstream Infection. ANN INTERN MED 142: 451-466 [Abstract] [Full Text]