Reevaluation of anaerobic blood cultures in a Veteran population.
BACKGROUND
Studies suggest that the selective use of anaerobic blood cultures may represent a more cost-effective laboratory approach when anaerobic bacterial infection is suspected.


METHODS
A 5-year retrospective study was done at a Veterans' Affairs hospital to determine the utility of routinely including anaerobic blood culture when sampling for bacteremia.


RESULTS
A total of 22,075 anaerobic blood cultures were collected from our adult population. Significant anaerobic pathogens were isolated from only 0.14% of these blood cultures. An anaerobic infection could have been suspected in 92% of our patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant anaerobic bloodstream infections occurred in only 0.14% of blood cultures. In addition, the majority of the patients identified with anaerobic bacteremia had clinical conditions that would have suggested a high likelihood of anaerobic bacteremia. These observations suggest that selective rather than routine use of anaerobic blood cultures may be appropriate in a veteran population.
Chandler
M T
MT
James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Mountain Home, Tenn 37684-4000, USA.
Morton
E S
ES
Byrd
R P
RP
Fields
C
C
Roy
M T
MT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000191:economics; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013714:Tennessee / Q000453:epidemiology