title: Comparison of conventional and single bottle system for blood cultures.
abstract: A single bottle blood culture system (Oxoid Signal system) was compared with a conventional two bottle subculturing system. A total of 2016 routine blood samples yielded 186 (9%) clinically important isolates. Of these, 40 (21%) were isolated only in the Oxoid system and 30 (17%) only in the conventional system. One hundred and sixteen (62%) were isolated from both systems. Volume of blood was not significantly associated with the rate of detection but was significantly associated with the speed of detection. A continuation of the study with a Signal bottle and single conventional bottle confirmed initial results of the increased isolation rate using two systems. The Oxoid single bottle blood culture system was at least comparable with a conventional system in terms of rate of detection of organisms and was superior in terms of speed of detection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Central Pathology Laboratory, Stoke-on-Trent.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Barratt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Statham
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans