Scanning Electron Microscope Examination as an Alternative to Classical Microbiology in the Diagnostics of Catheter-Related Sepsis?

Anna Kluzik (), Hanna Tomczak, Marek Nowicki, Małgorzata Grześkowiak and Krzysztof Kusza
Additional contact information
Anna Kluzik: Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Therapy and Pain Treatment, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland
Hanna Tomczak: Central Microbiology Laboratory, Clinical Hospital at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland
Marek Nowicki: Center for Advanced Technology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
Małgorzata Grześkowiak: Department of Teaching Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-861 Poznan, Poland
Krzysztof Kusza: Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Therapy and Pain Treatment, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-355 Poznan, Poland

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 6, 1-7

Abstract: Central venous catheters are essential elements enabling the treatment of intensive care unit patients. However, these catheters are sometimes colonised by both bacteria and fungi, and thus, they may become a potential source of systemic infections—catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI). The identification of the pathogen responsible for CRBSI is a time-consuming process. At the same time, the relationship between the quick identification of the pathogen and the implementation of targeted antibiotic therapy is of key importance for controlling the clinical symptoms of sepsis and septic shock in the patient. Quick diagnosis is of key importance to reduce morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. In our study, we attempted to create a catalogue of images of the most commonly cultured pathogens responsible for CRBSI. An FEI Quanta 250 FEG Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used for measurements. SEM images obtained during the analysis were included in this study. Images of SEM are three-dimensional and comparable to the images seen with the human eye and are a tool used for research and measurement whenever it is necessary to analyse the state of the surface and assess its morphology. The method described in our study will not replace the current procedures recognised as the gold standard, i.e., pathogen culturing, determination of the count of microorganisms (CFU –colony forming units), and assessment of drug sensitivity. However, in some cases, the solution proposed in our study may aid the diagnosis of patients with suspected catheter-related bloodstream infections leading to sepsis and septic shock.

Keywords: scanning electron microscope; SEM; catheter-related sepsis; CRBSI; intensive care unit; clinical microbiology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/6/5028/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/6/5028/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:6:p:5028-:d:1095257

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().