Critical factors in the recovery of pathogenic microorganisms in blood.
BACKGROUND
The critical factors for optimal recovery of microbial pathogens from blood are not only the basis for how we perform blood cultures on a daily basis, but are also important for development of all current blood-culture systems. Because much of this research was conducted and published between 1975 and 2010 there is a general sense that many physicians and scientists may not be familiar with it, but it is critical for performing and interpreting blood cultures.


OBJECTIVES
To review the critical factors in the laboratory recovery and isolation of pathogenic microorganisms in blood.


SOURCES
Literature review of published papers, select reviews and updated guidelines.


CONTENT
This review focuses on the critical factors that affect the recovery isolation of pathogenic microorganisms from individuals with bloodstream infections. Contemporary blood-culture systems, and current methods for blood-culture collection, have been designed to incorporate these critical factors so as to optimize recovery and isolation of pathogens while minimizing contamination.


IMPLICATIONS
It is important for microbiologists and practitioners to understand how and why these critical factors affect current blood-culture practices to improve patient management. Future research should emphasize which of these critical factors will still play a role in the era of molecular diagnostic tests, which will no longer be relevant, and which new critical factors have yet to be defined.
['Wilson|M L|ML|']
D016470:Bacteremia D001419:Bacteria D000071997:Blood Culture D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques D016469:Fungemia D005658:Fungi D006801:Humans
Blood culture Bloodstream infection Bacteraemia Fungaemia Sepsis