Background: Catheter-related bloodstream infections, particularly central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) involving central venous (CV) catheters, are major health care-associated infections, with Staphylococcus epidermidis ( S. epidermidis ) being the primary pathogen. However, the effect of catheter design, especially the section of the catheter and number of lumens, on bacterial adhesion remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate S. epidermidis adhesion to various sections of double and triple-lumen CV catheters in an in vitro model. Materials and Methods: Bacterial suspensions of S. epidermidis were infused from the proximal port of double and triple-lumen CV catheters, and the number of adherent bacteria on the 6 catheter sections was quantified using a modified Brun-Buisson method. Statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate the differences in bacterial adhesion across catheter sections. Results: The highest level of bacterial adhesion was observed at the proximal port-opening section. A significantly greater number of bacteria adhered to this section than the other sections in both double and triple-lumen CV catheters, indicating that the proximal port-opening section is a critical site for potential contamination and infection risk. Conclusions: This finding highlights the importance of the proximal port region of CV catheters with regard to bacterial adhesion. Further research is warranted to explore the adhesion characteristics of other pathogens and evaluate various catheter designs to improve infection prevention strategies in clinical practices.
Tanaka et al. (2026) studied this question.