Journal article
Direct Demonstration of Staphylococcus Biofilm in an External Ventricular Drain in a Patient with a History of Recurrent Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Failure
Pediatric neurosurgery, v 46(2), pp 127-132
Aug 2010
PMID: 20664301
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Abstract
External ventricular drains (EVD) are associated with a high infection rate. Early detection of infection is frequently problematic due to a lack of clinical signs and the time period required for culturing. Bacterial biofilms have been suggested to play an important role in the infection of EVD, but direct evidence is as yet lacking. We report the case of a 17- year-old male with Dandy-Walker malformation who presented with headache, nausea and drowsiness; a CT scan revealed enlarged ventricles. The patient had a history of ventriculoperitoneal shunt revision 3 weeks prior to admission. The shunt was removed on suspicion of infection and an EVD placed. Daily surveillance cultures through the EVD were negative and the EVD was replaced on day 5. Examination of the initial EVD by confocal microscopy demonstrated clear intraluminal biofilm formation; molecular analysis by PCR identified
Staphylococcus aureus
resident on the catheter. To our knowledge, this is the first direct demonstration of an intraluminal biofilm compromising an EVD. Despite the presence of biofilm on this catheter, the patient demonstrated no clinical signs of infection, and the routine surveillance culture was negative. Undetected biofilm may pose a latent risk on EVD and other neurosurgical catheters.
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Details
- Title
- Direct Demonstration of Staphylococcus Biofilm in an External Ventricular Drain in a Patient with a History of Recurrent Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Failure
- Creators
- Paul Stoodley - Center for Genomic Sciences, Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Pa., USAErnest E Braxton - Department of Neurosurgery, Allegheny General Hospital, Pa., USALaura Nistico - Center for Genomic Sciences, Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Pa., USALuanne Hall-Stoodley - Center for Genomic Sciences, Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Pa., USASandra Johnson - Center for Genomic Sciences, Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Pa., USAMatthew Quigley - Department of Neurosurgery, Allegheny General Hospital, Pa., USAJ. Christopher Post - Center for Genomic Sciences, Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Pa., USAGarth D Ehrlich - Center for Genomic Sciences, Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Pa., USASandeep Kathju - Center for Genomic Sciences, Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Pa., USA
- Publication Details
- Pediatric neurosurgery, v 46(2), pp 127-132
- Publisher
- S. Karger AG; Allschwilerstrasse 10, P.O. Box · Postfach · Case postale, CH–4009, Basel, Switzerland · Schweiz · Suisse, Phone: +41 61 306 11 11, Fax: +41 61 306 12 34, karger@karger.ch
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000280683500006
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-77954647092
- Other Identifier
- 991014878647804721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Surgery