Bacteraemia an endocarditis

Question 1

ENDOCARDITIS – WHAT MICRO SAMPLE TO SEND?

Answer 1

3 blood cultures (10ml each, 6 bottles), BEFORE antibiotics are given.
Why 3?
*To confirm the causative pathogen (ie. All blood cultures should grow the same pathogen)
*Increase the chances of growing the pathogen

Question 2

Taking blood cultures

Answer 2

aseptic technique

Question 3

DETECTING BACTERAEMIA / SEPTICAEMIA

Answer 3

Bacteraemia or Septicaemia
(not line associated)
* 2 sets of blood cultures
(1 set = a pair of bottles, aerobic and anaerobic)
* 10ml in each bottle to maximize yield of detecting bacteria or Candida
* Insufficient blood volume (eg 5ml or less) may lead to false negative result!

Bacteraemia or Septicaemia
(central line associated)
* same principles as box on the left PLUS
* blood cultures taken from the line AND peripheral vein in the same setting
Line associated infection is defined as
*detecting the same bacterium or candida
in both line AND peripheral vein
PLUS
*positive growth from line culture > 2 hours before positive growth in peripheral vein culture