Increased rates of blood culture contamination during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Esquer Garrigos Z
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8280393 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Increased rates of blood culture contamination during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Esquer Garrigos Zerelda Z Wingler Mary Joyce B MJB Svoronos Petros A PA Vijayvargiya Prakhar P Goodman-Meza David D O'Horo John C JC Navalkele Bhagyashri D BD Cretella David D Frame Ithiel J IJ Parham Jason J Lucar Jose J
Infection control and hospital epidemiology 20210624 11
We observed a higher rate of blood-culture contamination during the COVID-19 pandemic at our institution compared to a prepandemic period. Given the potential implications of blood contamination in antibiotic and diagnostic test utilization as well as added cost, it is imperative to continue efforts to minimize these episodes during the pandemic. ...[more]
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Project description:BackgroundSecondary bacterial infection during the care of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients poses risks to the patients, but there are concerns of an increase in blood culture contamination.MethodsA retrospective comparative study was conducted from April 1 to December 31, 2020, when the patients with COVID-19 were taken care of (pandemic period, PP), and it was compared with the same period in 2019 (pre-pandemic period, pre-PP).ResultsA total of 346 patients with COVID-19 were hospitalized during the study period in 2020. A total of 1,040 and 918 blood cultures were taken during PPP and PP respectively. 38 and 56 contaminations occurred during pre-PP and PP respectively (3.7% [95% CI 2.6%-5.0%], vs 6.1% [95% CI 4.6%-7.8%], P = .015). For the ICU, 10 and 32 contaminations occurred during the same periods (5.0% [95% CI 2.4%-9.0%], vs 12.5% [95% CI 8.7%-17.1%], P = .0097). True bacteremia in the ICU per patient-day also increased during the PP.ConclusionsWe found a significant increase in blood culture contamination during the COVID-19 pandemic in the ICU setting, while true bacteremia also increased. A safe and effective way to obtain blood cultures from patients with COVID-19 should be sought.
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