A comparative study of blood and bone marrow cultures in cadaveric bone donation

The results of blood cultures taken from cadaveric bone donors were compare d with bone marrow and also swab cultures of the procured grafts. In eight of the 95 donors evaluated, pathogenic micro-organisms were detected in the blood sample. In two, identical micro-organisms were cultured from the blo od and bone marrow sample whilst the swab cultures were negative. Consideri ng the low sensitivity of the swab culture, the organisms detected in the b lood culture were likely to have spread haematogenously and considered to b e present in the explanted grafts. Bacteriological screening of bone donors is extremely important since the t ransmission of microorganisms via an allograft call lead to serious complic ations in the recipient. Positive blood cultures provide important informat ion on the presence of pathogenic micro-organisms in grafts obtained from c adaveric bone donors and are therefore essential in deciding whether a graf t is bacteriologically acceptable for transplantation. (C) 1999 The Hospita l Infection Society.