BACKGROUND: The prosthetic arteriovenous grafts (AVG) being used increasingly to create hemodialysis access are prone to infections that pose potentially life-threatening infectious and bleeding complications, as well as loss of dialysis access. In this study, we identified the bacteriologic agents of infected AVGs by site swab, blood culture, and prosthesis cultures, and to evaluate the role of microbiological findings in the management of the infection. METHODS: We focused on 51 patients with 53 AVGs operated on in our clinic from January 2006 to December 2009. An infected AVG was identified by clinical, ultrasound, and microbiological findings. Sensitivity to antibiotics was determined for all bacterial strains. Isolates were identified by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of bacterial DNA. In a few cases, positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) examination was performed. RESULTS: Strains of Staphylococcus spp., especially S. aureus, were the most frequent cause of infected AVG. All S. aureus strains were sensitive to methicillin. With the exception of a single case, isolates obtained simultaneously from the skin site and the vascular prosthesis were identical genetically. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that bacterial infectious agents detected in site swab, blood, or graft culture confirm a suspicion of AVG infection. A PET-CT examination can provide confirmation. The combination of microbiologic and radionuclide findings can improve the management of the AVG infection, but surgery remains essential.

• MeSH
• arteriovenózní zkrat škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• bakteriemie mikrobiologie   MeSH
• cévní protézy škodlivé účinky   mikrobiologie   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• dialýza ledvin škodlivé účinky   přístrojové vybavení   MeSH
• infekce spojené s protézou etiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• pulzní gelová elektroforéza MeSH
• stafylokokové infekce etiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Staphylococcus izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH