Increased Peripheral Venous Catheter Bloodstream Infections during COVID-19 Pandemic, Switzerland

Abstract

Studies suggest that central venous catheter bloodstream infections (BSIs) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated catheter-related BSIs in Switzerland and found peripheral venous catheter (PVC) BSI incidence increased during 2021–2022 compared with 2020. These findings should raise awareness of PVC-associated BSIs and prompt inclusion of PVC BSIs in surveillance systems.