Microbiological screening of post-mortem bone donors - two case reports

This study assesses the value of blood cultures in combination with swab cu lturing techniques in association with bone banking procedures. The results of blood and swab cultures of two post-mortem bone donors were compared wi th procured grafts, cultured in their entirety In one donor, who died of dr owning, three of the 12 entire graft cultures were positive with the same m icro-organism of high pathogenicity as the blood culture, whilst the swat, culture of only one graft was positive. In the second donor, who died from myocardial infarction, four entire cultures were positive with the same org anism of high pathogenicity as the blood culture, whilst the swab cultures of three grafts were positive. In both donors identical organisms were cult ured from the myocardium of the pulmonary or aortic heart valve. The results confirm the limited sensitivity of swab culturing techniques. E specially micro-organisms inside a graft, disseminated through the bloodstr eam, can remain unnoticed. Blood cultures seem to provide additional inform ation on micro-organisms that have spread haematogenously pre-mortem and ma y even provide information on the source from which they have spread. (C) 2 001 The Hospital Infection Society.