Infected Devices May Cause Bloodstream Infections

Bloodstream infection in patients with permanent pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators may be caused by device infection, a recent study found. The study, published in the April 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, added that the rate of cardiac device infection is higher in patients with defibrillators than in those with pacemakers.

In addition, the study found infected devices to be responsible for 54.6 percent of cases of Staphylococcus aureus infection.

The incidence of cardiac device infection is not well understood, the authors noted.