title: Comparison of blood-culture contamination rates in a pediatric emergency room: newly inserted intravenous catheters versus venipuncture.
abstract: We compared contamination rates of blood cultures obtained either from newly inserted intravenous catheters or via venipuncture. Of 2,431 blood cultures, the overall contamination rate was 2.7% (intravenous catheter, 3.4%; venipuncture, 2.0%; P=.043). The site of lowest contamination was the antecubital fossa, making this the optimal choice for blood-culture sampling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramsook
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Childers
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Cron
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nirken
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010372:Pediatrics; D018962:Phlebotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*