OBJECTIVE To analyze distribution of the pathogens of catheter-related bloodstream infection ( CRBSI ), and provide doctors with the laboratory evidence of CRBSI diagnosis. METHODS A retrospective analysis of CRBSI pathogens′ distributions from 261 inpatients whose catheter culturing was positive in General Hospital of PLA from Jan 1, 2002 to Aug 31, 2004 was done, and from which true cases of CRBSI were judged and true pathogens or contaminants were identified and counted. RESULTS There were 88 (33.72%) patients diagnosed as CRBSI among 261 cases. They were from intensive care unit (41), surgical department (22), medicine (12), the old patients ward (10), and pediatric ward (3). The first four by rank order of the CRBSI pathogens were Acinetobacter baumannii (15.9%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (14.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( 11.4% ), and Candida albicans (9.1%). The prominent contaminants were as follows: coagulase-negative staphylococci , Streptococcus pyogenes, Micrococcus and Gram-positive rods. CONCLUSIONS To get a better understanding about distribution of CRBSI pathogens will help its diagnosing as early as possible.