Article

Propionibacterium acnes is a common colonizer of intravascular catheters.

Servicio de Microbiología y Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Calle Doctor Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain.
The Journal of infection (impact factor: 4.13). 05/2008; 56(4):257-60. DOI:10.1016/j.jinf.2008.01.012
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Propionibacterium spp. are common flora of human skin. Nevertheless, currently recommended culture procedures do not include anaerobic processing with the result that this organism may go undetected on a colonized catheter. To determine the rate of catheter colonization by Propionibacterium spp., a sample of 1000 vascular catheters was processed by the roll-plate technique and, after conventional aerobic processing, all primary culture plates were reincubated in an anaerobic atmosphere. Propionibacterium acnes was detected in significant counts in the vascular catheters of 39 patients. This represents 14.7% (95% CI, 12.5-16.9) of all positive catheters. Propionibacterium is the second most frequent genus-colonizing catheter tips after Staphylococcus spp. Methodological shortcomings impair the detection and proper adscription of P. acnes as a potential cause of catheter-related infections.

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Keywords

1000 vascular catheters
 
catheter-related infections
 
common flora
 
conventional aerobic processing
 
detection
 
frequent genus-colonizing catheter tips
 
human skin
 
P. acnes
 
potential cause
 
primary culture plates
 
proper adscription
 
Propionibacterium
 
Propionibacterium acnes
 
Propionibacterium spp
 
roll-plate technique
 
significant counts
 
Staphylococcus spp