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To determine the rate of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) among cases of primary bloodstream infection (BSI) in febrile neutropenic cancer patients with short-term nontunnelled catheters, quantitative paired blood cultures (Isolator) from the central venous catheter (CVC) and peripheral vein were obtained between November 1999 and January 2001. Bactec blood culture bottles were obtained to determine the differential time to positivity (DTP). CRBSI was defined as a quantitative blood culture ratio of >5:1 (CVC versus peripheral) with proven identity of isolates from positive peripheral and CVC blood cultures as confirmed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Forty-nine episodes of primary BSI were detected among 235 cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. Of these, 18 episodes (37%) were CRBSI and 31 (63%) were BSI with an unknown portal of entry. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were …