title: Evaluation of an automated blood culture system for the isolation of bacteria from equine synovial fluid.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate an automated blood culture system for the isolation of microorganisms from infected equine synovial fluid (SF). Samples were collected from 220 severely inflamed synovial joints and classified as either presumably infected (group A: n=149) or not infected (group B: n=71), based on a combination of clinical history, clinical signs and cytological analysis of the SF. Samples were inoculated into blood culture bottles and after incubation were subcultured onto agar media to confirm the results and to facilitate full bacterial identification. Microorganisms were isolated from 107 group A samples (71.8%) and from three group B samples (4.2%). Overall, the detection system identified 117 bottles as positive and 103 as negative, including nine instrument-false-positives and two instrument-false-negatives. The median time-to-detection for Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and for fungi was 14.3 (interquartile range [I.R.] 10.0) h, 8.8 (I.R. 12.8) h, and 72.0 (range 60.8-74.8) h, respectively. It was concluded that culture of infected SF using the automated system combines the advantages of enrichment in specialised medium with the rapid detection of bacterial growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dumoulin
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pille
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Van den Abeele
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oosterlinck
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gasthuys
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D003470:Culture Media; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005658:Fungi / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006736:Horses; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media