All types of catheters and other devices that allow access to the bloodstream can potentially be a source of infection, researchers report.
These “intravascular devices” (IVDs) have become the leading cause of bloodstream infections in the United States and worldwide.
“We thought this analysis might provide a unique opportunity to wave the flag and convince both health care workers and patients that all types of IVDs pose a risk,” lead author Dr. Dennis Maki, a researcher and infectious disease and critical care specialist at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison, said in a prepared statement.