EVALUATION OF 2 COMMERCIAL BLOOD CULTURE MEDIA FOR THE DETECTION OF BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS

To determine their ability to detect blood-borne pathogens, the blood culture media BCB Release (Becton Dickinson, USA) and Signal (Oxoid, U K) were evaluated on a total of 5,122 blood culture sets. Each of the two bottles was inoculated with an equal amount of blood from 2,262 pa tients at bedside (2.3 cultures per patient). In the laboratory, agar- coated paddles were attached to the BCB Release bottles and the Signal device was mounted onto the Signal bottles. Both systems were incubat ed at 35 degrees C for seven days. A total of 608 (11.9 %) sets were p ositive, from which 549 pathogenic microorganisms could be isolated. T hese could be grown significantly (p < 0.0001) more often from the BCB Release broth (n = 483) than from the Signal system (n = 384). Mainly staphylococci, Escherichia coli and yeasts were isolated more often f rom the BCB Release, anaerobes were more often detected from the Oxoid Signal. The time to positivity was significantly shorter (p < 0.0001) with the BCB Release. The Signal system proved a valuable complement to the BCB Release broth.