Extract:
“Appropriate microbiological cultures are the cornerstone for infection diagnosis in the critically ill patient: reliable results allow to rapidly administer the right antimicrobial therapy. Blood cultures are carried out as a gold standard to detect bacteremia. However, the interpretation of blood culture results is challenged by a contamination rate ranging from 0.9% to 11.7%. The worst performances are recorded in Emergency Departments. The overall recommended contamination rate is below 3%.”
Reference:Russo E, Bolondi G, Gamberini E, Santonastaso DP, Circelli A, Spiga M, Sambri V, Agnoletti V. Increased blood culture contamination rate during COVID-19 outbreak in intensive care unit: A brief report from a single-centre. J Intensive Care Soc. 2022 Nov;23(4):500-502. doi: 10.1177/17511437211012152. Epub 2021 Apr 30. PMID: 36751343; PMCID: PMC9679905.