Catheter-Associated Bacterial Infection Detection for Diagnosis of Central Vascular Use of Quantitative 16S Ribosomal DNA

Many central vascular catheters (CVCs) are removed unnecessarily because current diagnostic methods forCVC-associated infection are unreliable. A quantitative PCR assay using primers and probe targeted tobacterial 16S ribosomal DNA was used to measure the levels of bacterial DNA in blood samples drawn throughthe CVC in a population of patients receiving intravenous nutrition. Bacterial DNA concentrations were raisedin 16 of 16 blood samples taken during episodes of probable bacterial CVC-associated infection. Bacterial DNAconcentrations were raised in 4 of 29 episodes in which bacterial CVC-associated infection was unlikely. Theuse of this technique has the potential to substantially reduce the unnecessary removal of CVCs.