In people with blood vessel catheters, the bacteria can be inoculated directly into the bloodstream, which leads to a bloodstream infection called bacteremia, and from there it can spread to the heart, causing endocarditis, or to the brain, causing meningitis.

对于应用血管内导管的病人，细菌可以直接血行播散，形成菌血症，可以播散到心脏引起心内膜炎，或者感染大脑引起脑膜炎。