Impact of delays to incubation and storage temperature on blood culture results: a multi-centre study

BMC Infectious Diseases

Sona Soeng¹  Thomas A. N. Reed²  Paul Turner³  David A. B. Dance⁴  Paul N. Newton⁵  Elizabeth A. Ashley⁶  Sue J. Lee⁷  Tri Wangrangsimakul⁷  Tamalee Roberts⁸  Somsavanh Sihalath⁸  Amphone Sengduangphachanh⁸  Tomas-Paul Cusack⁹  Pattaraporn Hinfonthong^1,10  Wanitda Watthanaworawit^1,10  Clare L. Ling^1,11  Francois H. Nosten^1,11 

[1] Cambodia Oxford Medical Research Unit, Angkor Hospital for Children, Siem Reap, Cambodia;Cambodia Oxford Medical Research Unit, Angkor Hospital for Children, Siem Reap, Cambodia;Present address: London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, Northwick Park Hospital, London, UK;Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom;Cambodia Oxford Medical Research Unit, Angkor Hospital for Children, Siem Reap, Cambodia;Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom;Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic;Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK;Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom;Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic;Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK;Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand;Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom;Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic;Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar;Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom;Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand;Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic;Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic;Present address: Department of Infection, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK;Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand;Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand;Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom;

关键词: Blood cultures;    Delays;    LMIC;    Diagnostics;    Microbiology;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12879-021-05872-8

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundBlood cultures are one of the most important tests performed by microbiology laboratories. Many hospitals, particularly in low and middle-income countries, lack either microbiology services or staff to provide 24 h services resulting in delays to blood culture incubation. There is insufficient guidance on how to transport/store blood cultures if delays before incubation are unavoidable, particularly if ambient temperatures are high. This study set out to address this knowledge gap.MethodsIn three South East Asian countries, four different blood culture systems (two manual and two automated) were used to test blood cultures spiked with five common bacterial pathogens. Prior to incubation the spiked blood culture bottles were stored at different temperatures (25 °C, in a cool-box at ambient temperature, or at 40 °C) for different lengths of time (0 h, 6 h, 12 h or 24 h). The impacts of these different storage conditions on positive blood culture yield and on time to positivity were examined.ResultsThere was no significant loss in yield when blood cultures were stored < 24 h at 25 °C, however, storage for 24 h at 40 °C decreased yields and longer storage times increased times to detection.ConclusionBlood cultures should be incubated with minimal delay to maximize pathogen recovery and timely result reporting, however, this study provides some reassurance that unavoidable delays can be managed to minimize negative impacts. If delays to incubation ≥ 12 h are unavoidable, transportation at a temperature not exceeding 25 °C, and blind sub-cultures prior to incubation should be considered.

【 授权许可】

CC BY