Catheter related bacteremia in rats: A preliminary report on the effect of methylene blue coated catheter.

The safety and efficacy of methylene blue (MB) coated indwelling jugular vein/cranial vena cava catheter made up of polyurethane material was tested in a rat model, receiving bacterial culture suspension of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Daily blood samples were collected from the catheter and peripheral vein for bacterial culture. The clinical parameters (rectal temperature, respiratory rate, total white blood cell count, and loss in body weight) were not different between the groups. All the rats became bacteremic with similar changes in the number of colony forming units in the catheter and peripheral samples. Histopathological lesions were not different between the groups. The findings suggest that rats receiving MB coated catheters behaved similar to non-coated catheters. Based on the results it can be concluded that for this type of gross contamination, catheter coating alone may not eliminate infection/bacteremia.