Detection of bacteraemia in children seen in the outpatient department: a comparison of conventional blood culture methods and a Castaneda blood culture
Brook, I.; Gruenwald, L.D.
Microbios 35(139): 17-20
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-2633 PMID: 6759878 Document Number: 186503
Modified Castaneda blood culture bottles were used to diagnose bacteremia in children attending an outpatient clinic. Bacterial growth was detected in 12 of 147 patients (8%), in the routine and Castaneda blood culture bottles. Streptococcus pneumoniae was recovered in 9 patients (6%) and Halmophilus influenzae in 3 patients (2%). The average length of time required to identify the organisms using the routine blood culture bottles was 2 days (range 1-4 days), while the average time using Castaneda bottles was 3.5 days (range 1-6 days). Castaneda blood bottles are effective in the detection of bacteremia in children, and, because of their simplicity, they may serve for the detection of bacteremia by physicians in general practice.