Neonatal heelstick blood culture.
A new micro-heelstick blood culture technique was evaluated in 40 neonates who were believed to be clinically septic. Heelstick cultures were positive in 11 and peripheral venous cultures were positive in eight. All eight venous cultures had positive heelstick cultures. Heelstick blood cultures seem to be at least as sensitive as venous cultures.
D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis*