Protocol for suspected catheter-related sepsis

If temperature is $>$ 38 C for more than one hour, examine the patient and ensure that no other focus of infection is present. In the absence of any obvious source other than the central line:

• Under aseptic conditions take a peripheral blood culture and a blood culture through the central line.
• Take a skin swab from around the catheter entry site.
• Aspirate pus if present and collect in a sterile container
• Remove the catheter only after consultation with senior personnel
• Send distal 5 cm for culture
• If pyrexia persists for longer than 12 hours then the patient should be reassessed to exclude another septic focus and treatment with IV antibiotics considered after consultation with senior personnel and/or a microbiologist.