This overview provides information on recent advances in the prevention of primary bacteraemia, commonly defined as bloodstream infection without a documented source of infection, but including those resulting from an intravenous or arterial line infection. The potential to prevent community-acquired, primary bacteraemia is still limited and may be targeted mainly at vaccines for high-risk groups. In contrast, the prevention of catheter-related bacteraemia has seen substantial progress within the last 10 years. Consequently, intravascular device-related bacteraemia has become largely preventable under routine working conditions. Independent of the use of antibiotic-coated catheters, the implementation of clinical pathways and multimodal preventive strategies directed at several risk factors of catheter-related bacteraemia is a successful strategy to reduce this potentially life-threatening infection and deserves future health services research.