The burden of SA-BSI in Norway remains poorly characterized

Current surveillance methods—mainly point-prevalence surveys—provide limited and variable estimates.

 

Aim: To estimatetheproportionofcatheter-relatedSA-BSI (CRBSI) and assesswhetherCRBSI canbe used as a qualityindicatorin Norwegian hospitals

 

Method: One-year observational study (2022-2023) at a university hospital including all patients with at least one blood culture positive for S. aureus. • Study nurses performed systematic medical record reviews to identify episodes potentially related to CRBSI. • Episodes were evaluated by infection control or infectious disease consultants. • CRBSI was considered likely when no other infection source was found and catheter-site abnormalities (i.e. phlebitis) were documented, or when the patient record explicitly or explicit documentation identified the catheter as the presumed source.

 

Results: 

Among 153 patients with S. aureus positive blood culture, 23 episodes (15.0%) were initially identified as possible CRBSI. • Clinicians categorised 10 episodes as a likely or highly likely CRBSI (7% of all SA-BSIs; 43% of evaluated) cases; 1 central venous, 1 arterial and 8 peripheral intravenous catheters. • Six cases were considered possible CRBSI, and 7 as unlikely CRBSI

 

Conclusion: A substantial proportion of SA-BSIs cases were catheter related, mainly linked to peripheral intravenous catheters. • These findings support targeted systematic surveillance of CRBSI to inform quality improvement and vascular access safety initiatives. • A larger multi-centre study is needed to assess feasibility across different systems for laboratory and patient journals, as well as hospitals’ resources allocated to infection specialists.