Skin antisepsis
Blood cultures must be collected with strict adherence to aseptic techniques.
- After palpation, the venepuncture site must be cleansed with 70% Isopropyl or Ethyl alcohol. Swab concentrically, starting at the centre.
- Allow to dry before inserting the needle. If further palpation of the vein is necessary, the finger must be disinfected or a sterile glove worn.
- Inoculate the bottles directly. DO NOT change needles.
- Mix inoculated bottles immediately.
Please see image below on where to place the patient label. Do not cover the base of the bottle or the barcode with the label.
|
| Where to place the patient label on the bottle |
Volume
| Adults |
Each bottle requires 10 mL of blood. Less than 8 mL severely impairs detection of bacteraemia. |
| Children |
Each bottle will take up to 5 mL of blood. Anaerobic blood culture is not routine for children. |
Number and timing of culture sets
- Acute sepsis: when antibiotic therapy is required immediately, obtain 2 sets from different sites
- Other (PUO, etc.): Obtain 2 sets separated by at least one hour, if practical. If these are negative on day two, collect 2 more sets. Patients recently on antibiotic therapy or with suspected SBE may require a further 3 sets if previous sets remain negative.
- Relevant clinical data is essential. If brucellosis is suspected, this must be noted on the request form.
Media
Adults:
One set consists of two bottles:
1) Plus Aerobic/ F culture vial (Blue top),
2) Lytic/10 Anaerobic/ F culture vial (purple top)
Paediatric patients:
A single bottle of specially formulated medium is provided.
Use a single bottle of Peds Plus/F culture vial (Silver top).
The bottles contain resins that bind to and inactivate antibiotics.
Mycobacteraemia:
If mycobacteraemia is suspected - special media (Myco/F lytic culture vial) is required and is available from the Microbiology Department on request .
Collect a maximum of 5 ml into Myco-F-Lytic blood Culture Bottles.
Please take care to place blood culture bottles in a head-to-tail position before placing back into the biohazard transport bag. This makes it easier to fit the bag into the pneumatic carrier tube.
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| Position bottles head-to-tail before placing back into laboratory biohazard bag |
Also see section Microbiology Specimens and their Transport under:
Routine sets are monitored continually.
Prolonged incubation may be necessary for brucellosis and fungi (
please note on request form if these are suspected
).
Gram stain reports on positives are notified immediately. Identification and susceptibility tests of isolates are available 18-48 hours later.
Dr Sally Roberts
, Microbiologist:
ext 22705
Cellphone
021 674 140
Dr Sharmini Muttaiyah
, Microbiologist:
ext 22700
Cellphone
021 615 892
Dr Mary de Almeida
, Microbiologist:
ext 22700
Cellphone
021 170 9117