title: Detecting bacterial growth in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis effluent using two culture methods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the peritonitis-causing bacteria detected in peritoneal fluid using a blood culture bottle in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred and eleven dialysates from 43 patients suspected of peritonitis related to CAPD were retrospectively evaluated between May 2000 and February 2008. In all cases, 5 to 10 mL of dialysate was inoculated into a pair of BacT/Alert blood culture bottles, and 50 mL of centrifuged dialysate was simultaneously inoculated into a solid culture media for conventional culture. The results were compared to those of the conventional culture method. Isolated microorganisms were compared between the two methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The blood culture method was positive in 78.6% (88 / 112) of dialysate specimens and the conventional culture method in 50% (56 / 112, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The blood culture method using the BacT/Alert system is useful for culturing dialysates and improves the positive culture rate in patients with suspected peritonitis compared to the conventional culture method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea. sehei@hanmail.net
authors.forename: Se-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Nak Won
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sung-Ro
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Yun
mesh_terms: D003470:Culture Media; D015314:Dialysis Solutions; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D015314:Dialysis Solutions