US Hospitals Cut Infection Rate from Catheters in Half

US hospitals have cut the risk of infection from a central-line catheter in half since 2008. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the infection rate declined between over a six year period. Catheters are used to deliver medication, nutrients, and fluids to a patient through an intravenous line. Although the technique is a useful delivery method for hospital patients, the lines can harbor germs and bacteria when they are not handled properly, allowing from them to enter directly into the bloodstream. Once they have a foothold in the body's bloodstream, germs and bacteria can spread quickly throughout the body.