title: Culture-negative surgical site infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The appearance of postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) in the absence of culturable bacterial pathogens is a common dilemma for the surgeon.
  
  
  METHODS
  The literature was searched through references to primary articles, as well as a MEDLINE review, for reports of culture-negative SSIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Potential causes of culture-negative SSIs include prior antimicrobial therapy; the presence of fastidious or slow-growing microorganisms such as mycobacteria, Mycoplasma spp., and Legionella spp.; infection caused by mundane bacteria that may be dismissed as "contaminants"; factitious infection; and others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We review the recognized causes of "culture negative" SSIs and discuss the laboratory capabilities that may enhance recognition of many of these pathogens and management options.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Services, Wilford Hall Air Force Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas, USA. mark.rasnake@lackland.af.mil
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rasnake
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Dooley
mesh_terms: D003470:Culture Media; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media