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Introduction: Central venous catheter related bloodstreaminfections is a fatal complication of central venous catheteruse and is associated with patient morbidity, mortality, andexcess hospital costs. Study aimed to determine frequency ofcatheter related blood stream infections in patients admitted inCardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit.Material and methods: This study was conducted atMicrobiology laboratory of Punjab Institute of Cardiology,Lahore. A total number of 134 central venous catheter tipcultures along with percutaneously drawn blood culturesfrom patients suspected of having catheter related bloodstream infection were collected. Blood cultures as well ascentral venous catheter tip cultures were processed to isolatemicroorganisms. Organisms were identified on the basis ofcolonial morphology, Gram staining and biochemical tests.Results: Out of 134 central venous catheter tip cultures,59.7% showed significant microbial growth. Most frequentcolonizers were Coagulase negative Staphylococci (31.1%),S. aureus (26.7%), Candida species (22.2%), Klebsiellaspecies (13.3%) and Acinetobactor species (4.4%). Out of 134blood cultures, microbial growth was obtained from 11.9%.Microbes responsible for causing central line associated bloodstream infection were Candida species (37.5%), S.aureus(25%), Klebsiella (25%) and Acinetobactor species (12.5%).Frequency of catheter related blood stream infection orfrequency of catheter related candidemia was found to be4.5%.Conclusion: Candida species emerged as important cause ofcatheter related blood stream infection in patients admitted incardiology intensive care units. Therefore in high risk patientscatheter related candidemia and administration of antifungaldrugs must also be considered.
RESUMEN
To determine rate of nasal colonization in Patients suffering from bacteraemia caused by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in a tertiary care, University Teaching Hospital [Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore] from October 2010 to August 2011. Nasal swabs were taken from patients suffering from MRSA bacteraemia and were plated on mannitol salt agar plates to isolate Staphylococcus aureus [S. aureus] which were then tested for oxacillin susceptibility. Nasal colonization was present in 52.5% of patients suffering from MRSA bacteraemia. Nasal colonization rates with MRSA were high among patients suffering from MRSA bacteraemia especially in those undergoing dialysis or surgical procedures. Therefore, screening and nasal decolonization should be practiced in hospitals