title: Mycobacterial cross contamination during radiometric culturing.
abstract: Pseudobacteremias in blood cultures performed on the BACTEC radiometric blood culture system have been reported. We report three cases of cross contamination with Mycobacterium avium that occurred when mycobacteria were cultured with the BACTEC 460 TB system. Malfunction of the needle sterilization heating block was demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vannier
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tarrand
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011786:Quality Control; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis*