Vascular Infections

PATHOGENS

Not an all-inclusive list:

• Staphylococcus aureus
• Coagulase negative Staphylococci
• Gram-negative bacteria, e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli
• Salmonella spp.
• Streptococci and enterococci
• Anaerobes are rarely associated, more frequently with aortic grafts (and polymicrobial)
• Intracellular and/or fastidious microorganisms (Coxiella burnetii, Treponema pallidum)
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis and rapidly growing Mycobacteria are rarely involved (M. abscessus, M. fortuitum, M. chelonae, M. smegmatis, and M. mucogenicum) but are associated with high morbidity and mortality rate
• Candida vascular graft infections are rare but, when present, are associated with high morbidity and mortality
• Distribution of prosthetic vascular graft infection pathogens:
  
  • Staphylococci: ~35% of infections; S. aureus more likely early and coagulase-negative staphylococci more likely to cause late infections
  • Polymicrobial: ~25%