This study was performed to evaluate the extent of practice of the principle “at least two separate blood culture specimens should be taken to decide whether or not the microorganism grown in blood cultures is the real pathogen in bacteremia or septicemia” in our hospital. During three-month period one thousand blood cultures were sent from various clinics. Of these blood cultures, 160 were positive (16%). Staphylococci (62), Gram negative enteric bacilli (35) and Candida spp. (15) were revealed as the most common microorganisms. The contamination rate was found to be 14% among all positive blood cultures. One blood culture specimen was provided in 55% of the patients, two blood culture specimens in 26%, three blood culture specimens in 8%, four blood culture specimens in 5% and more than four blood cultures in 6%.
Almost half of the blood cultures obtained in our hospital do not reveal the real pathogen associated with bacteremia or septicemia because of the improper collection of blood specimens.
Key words: BacT/Alert Blood Culture System, Clinical Practice
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