TABLE 1.

Definitions of intravascular device-associated infections – Local infection, tunnel or pocket infection and bacteremia

Definition	Definite	Probable	Possible
Local infection	Purulent discharge at exit site; or erythema tenderness, induration (two of three) at exit site with a positive culture of serous discharge	Erythema, tenderness, induration (two of three) at exit site without a positive culture of serous discharge; or above without discharge but lack of alternative explanation	Erythema, tenderness, induration (two of three) at exit site, but alternative cause cannot be ruled out
Tunnel or pocket infection (for tunnelled and totally implanted devices)	Purulent discharge or aspirate from a tunnel or pocket site not contiguous with exit site; or erythema, tenderness, induration (two of three) at a tunnel or pocket site not contiguous with exit site with a positive culture of serous discharge or aspirate from that site	Erythema, tenderness, induration (two of three) at a tunnel or pocket site not contiguous with exit site and serous discharge or aspirate from that site without a positive culture; or above without discharge but lack of alternative explanation	Erythema, tenderness, induration (two of three) at a tunnel or pocket site not contiguous with exit site, but alternative cause cannot be ruled out
Device-related bacteremia	Confirmation of septic thrombophlebitis with a single positive blood culture; or single positive blood culture and positive culture of catheter segment with identical organism; or 10-fold or greater colony count difference in blood cultures drawn from device and peripheral blood; or single positive blood culture and positive culture from discharge or aspirate from exit site, tunnel or pocket with identical organism	Two or more positive blood cultures with no evidence for source other than the device; or single positive blood culture for Staphylococcus aureus or Candida species with no evidence for source other than device; or single positive blood culture for coagulase-negative staphylococci Bacillus species, Corynebacterium jeikeium, Enterococcus species, Trichophyton species or Malassezia species in immunocompromised or neutropenic host species or in patients receiving total parenteral nutrition with no evidence for source other than a centrally placed device	Single positive blood culture with no evidence for source except a centrally placed device, and patient or organism does not fit criteria for probable