Seasonal variations in blood culture numbers and time to positivity and potential impact of reducing incubation periods.

ABSTRACT: Patients with viral respiratory infections often present symptoms compatible with bloodstream infections. Consequently, the winter period commonly associated with epidemic respiratory illnesses shows an increase in the number of blood cultures (BC) and to occasional saturation of automated BC systems. Here, we explored the seasonal variations in BC samples and the potential impact of shortening the incubation time of BC when automated BC systems are close to saturation. A retrospective study was conducted during a 3-year period in 4 hospitals located in the Paris region, France. All aerobic and anaerobic bottles were included, except pediatric bottles and those sampled for suspicion of endocarditis. The number of BC bottles collected during the winter period was compared to the annual base

SUBMITTER: de Ponfilly GP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8064422 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature