Background: Nosocomial infections is a common source of infection in hospitalized patients. Prior reports have shown the possibility of venous catheter infection, too. The present study was carried out to determine the venous catheter infection of patients admitted to ICU and its related factors in Shaheed Beheshti hospital in Kashan in 2000.

Materials and Methods: It was descriptive study. Patients for whom IV catheters were removed were included. Then the 3cm of the catheters were cut aseptically and put in Thayer-glycolate. In case of growth within the next 7 days, the sample would be passage on agar. Finally the type of cultured bacteria as well as its antibiogram was determined. Infectious related factors were considered as: Age, sex, duration of catheter usage, duration of ICU hospitalization, catheter-induced phlebitis and the location of catheter.

Results: Of 100 cultured catheter removed from 36 patients, 29% revealed to have infection, among which, staphylococcus coagulase-negative was the most prevalent (18%). Age, duration of catheter usage, duration of ICU hospitalization, catheter-induced phlebitis and the location of catheter had no effects on infection rate (NS).

Conclusion: Staphylococcus coagulase-negative is the skin normal flora and do not cause severe infection, thus the true rate of infection is less. Needless to say, the venous catheter infection is a critical problem seeks further attention in hospitalized patients.