[Comparison of the automatized BacT/ALERT blood culture incubation and reading system and a conventional system].
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to compare the BacT/ALERT blood culture automatic management and reading system (Organon Teknika) with a conventional, nonautomatic technique (DUO, Bio-Mérieux).


METHODS
1,405 blood cultures were parallel compared. 263 of them were positive; out of these, 148 were considered as indicative of septicaemia, 38 of doubtful clinical significance and 77 as accidental contaminations.


RESULTS
No differences were detected between both systems neither in the number of isolates obtained nor in the kind of microorganisms recovered or in the number of false-positive or false-negative readings. The conventional system detected 28% of significant isolates during the first 24 hours, reaching 77% after 48 hours; whereas the BacT/ALERT system had detected 57% of significant isolates after 12 hours, reaching 82% after 24 hours (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained and the automatization of the BacT/ALERT system appoint it as a firm candidate to be included into the Clinical Microbiology laboratory routine.
Alonso
C
C
Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitari de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau.
Rello
J
J
Mirelis
B
B
Pericas
R
R
Navarro
F
F
Prats
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
Comparación del sistema automatizado de incubación y lectura de hemocultivos BacT/ALERT con un sistema convencional.