Microbiology of cardiac implantable electronic device infections

Abstract

Culture of the leads offers the possibility of an aetiological diagnosis in the majority of cases. When material from the pocket can be obtained, the microbiological result is often consistent with that from the electrodes, while species isolated from blood cultures are often different and more likely to be the result of contamination. Cardiac implantable electronic device infection is more often monomicrobial, CoNS are most frequently isolated and S. epidermidis is largely the main single agent. Very early infections were associated with S. aureus infection. The pattern of susceptibility to antimicrobials is in general that of community-acquired infections, although oxacillin resistance and quinolones resistance has increased in the last 5 years.