Incidence of bacterial contamination in infusion set needles.

We examined the incidence and types of bacterial contamination in 265 infusion set needles in adult critically ill patients. Bacterial contamination was detected in 15 samples (5.7%), and a total of 17 organisms were isolated. Ten were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) and Staphylococcus aureus, and the remainder were α-Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, and gram-negative rods. Although the contamination was not directly related to catheter-related bloodstream infections exchanging infusion bottles can cause intraluminal contamination and is a possible route of these infections.