Central Line Infections

When a patient requires long-term access to medication or fluids through an intravenous (IV), a central line is put in place to provide easy access to a vein. It is placed into a large vein in the neck, chest, groin, arm or abdomen. This is used instead of having to frequently insert needles for treatments such as chemotherapy, antibiotics and intravenous fluids and feeding, or to take samples of blood for testing. Patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) often require a central line because they are seriously ill and will need a lot of medication for a long period of time.

A central line bloodstream infection (CLIBSI) can occur when bacteria and / or fungi enter the bloodstream, causing a patient to become sick. The bacteria can come from a variety of places (e.g., skin, wounds, environment, etc.), though it most often comes from the patient’s skin. Hospitals follow best practices on how to prevent bacteria from entering into a central line. In Ontario, all hospitals with ICUs are required to report the number of CLIBSIs related to ICU care.

For our quarterly rates, please see below:

Central line bloodstream infection rates at The Ottawa Hospital