Cerebrospinal fluid enrichment broth cultures rarely contribute to the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.
This study included children undergoing lumbar puncture in the emergency department. Bacteria were isolated from 34 (1.7%) of 1898 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) enrichment broth cultures; 30 were contaminants. The primary CSF Gram stain was negative in all specimens with a positive enrichment broth culture. Enrichment broth cultures rarely contributed to the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, and positive CSF enrichment broth cultures contributed to diagnostic uncertainty.
Division of Infectious Diseases and the Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. shah@cchmc.org
Samir S
SS
Shah
Elizabeth M
EM
Hines
Karin L
KL
McGowan
D000293:Adolescent; D001419:Bacteria; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data