POLL: What is your policy/practice for collecting blood culture specimens when a central line is in place? Specifically, I am interested in knowing if you collect any specimens for blood culture from the central line (PICC, CVL) or if you prefer to collect any specimens for blood culture from peripheral venipuncture sites.

We take blood both from central line (Broviac not PICC line) as well as from the peripheral blood. This is how we can diagnose central line infection depending on which blood culutre grew organism earlier. If central line grew earlier it means central line infection. We never take any blood specimen from PICC line as it may block it

Our policy is take blood for culture from both peripheral and central line if septic work up is required

Dr. Saad Alsaedi

Director of the NICU,

King Abdulaziz university Hospital

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia