Surveillance for bacteremia related to vascular access in hemodialysis

: Infections occur frequently in chronic dialysis patients. An incidence study of 13 months' duration (December 2003-January 2004) on nosocomial bacterial infections was performed in a dialysis center (Rivoli Hospital) in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Data were collected according to a modified CDC methodology (CDC Dialysis Surveillance Network). The total incidence of infections was 4.55/100 patients/month and was lower than that reported for other reference series (CDC 6.16/100 patients/month). The low incidence was associated with a greater use of low-risk vascular access (fistula) than in other countries such as the U.S. The infection rates were: vascular access 1.73% (1.55% local infections, 0.18% access-related bacteremia); 0.82% wound infections; 0.91% pneumonia; 1% urinary tract infections; 0.09% other bacteremias. The hospital utilization rate was 6.9/100 patients/month. Blood cultures were performed in only 28.4% of patients who had received a course of antibiotics. Antibiotics were widely used but the use of vancomycin was less than reported elsewhere (e.g., CDC surveillance). The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (28 strains isolated) was high (>50%), whereas no vancomycin-resistant enterococci were isolated. Preventing nosocomial bacterial infections in chronic dialysis patients is a top priority; therefore, a surveillance system along the lines of the CDC model should be adopted by all dialysis centers. The risk of nosocomial infection is strongly associated with the type of vascular access.