2090. Decontamination of Fusarium oxysporon from a Central Line Needleless Access Device Using a 70% Isopropyl Alcohol Impregnated Port Protector

BACKGROUND: Fusarium species, pervasive environmental fungi, cause disseminated infection in immunocompromised hosts including central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), with a 75% mortality rate. Many hospitals utilize 70% isopropyl alcohol impregnated port protectors over needleless access devices (NADs) to reduce CLABSIs (Figure 1). These port protectors achieve ≥4-log reduction in colony-forming units (CFU’s) of S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. coli, C. albicans, P. aeruginosa and C. glabrata. The effect against F. oxysporon has not been reported. METHODS: F. oxysporon was grown on Sabouraud Dextrose (Sab Dex) agar. Two protocols were used: (1) aliquots of ~1 × 10(6) CFU were loaded to the surface of eight NAD’s and allowed to air dry, and (2) the surface of 20 NAD’s were contaminated via touching to a dense lawn of Fusarium on culture plates. Half of the NAD’s were decontaminated with a port protector for one minute; the other half had no decontamination step (along with positive/negative controls). NAD’s were then (1) placed whole in Sab Dex broth or (2) touched to a fresh Sab Dex agar plate, and growth observed for 7 days. RESULTS: In all cases, NAD’s that had been decontaminated with the alcohol-impregnated port protector showed no growth after seven days in broth (Figure 2) or on plates (Figure 3). NAD’s lacking the decontamination step invariably showed abundant growth. CONCLUSION: Use of two different techniques demonstrates that a 70% isopropyl alcohol impregnated port protector achieves decontamination of F. oxysporon from the surface of needleless access devices. DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.