title: Agrobacterium radiobacter as a cause of pseudobacteremia.
abstract: Agrobacterium radiobacter was isolated from 15 blood cultures collected from 15 newborns. Contamination of blood cultures was suspected because, in most cases, the babies' illnesses seemed incompatible with infection. A radiobacter was isolated from citrated tubes used for clotting-factor studies. Review of venipuncture technique revealed that occasionally the coagulation study tubes were being inoculated before the blood-culture bottles. This investigation demonstrated how an environmental source coupled with faulty technique caused a cluster of false-positive blood cultures.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Hygiène Hospitalière, Hôpital Pellegrin, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rogues
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sarlangue
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Barbeyrac
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Doerman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Helmer
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Labadie
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delfeau
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sandler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bebear
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gachie
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000592:standards; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000592:standards*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000302:isolation & purification