Skip to main content
Log in

Blood Cultures: Clinical Aspects and Controversies

  • Review
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

 During the past two decades, there have been important advances in blood culture methodology. These advances have resulted in earlier detection and identification of pathogens causing bloodstream infections. However, there are many facets of the blood culture as a diagnostic test that are not affected by new culture methods or systems that continue to cause problems with interpretation of results. The objective of this review is to focus on those factors influencing the results of blood cultures that have clinical relevance. Such factors include skin preparation, timing, procurement techniques, volume of blood obtained, number of cultures, anaerobic blood cultures, and contamination. In addition, bacteremia prediction models are discussed and suggestions are provided as to how these models could be of greater clinical use. Blood culture methods and systems are not discussed in this review.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mylotte, J., Tayara, A. Blood Cultures: Clinical Aspects and Controversies. EJCMID 19, 157–163 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100960050453

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100960050453

Keywords

Navigation