Laboratory experience with radiometric detection of bacteremia with three culture media

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Abstract
In 2 long-term studies, the BACTEC radiometric system for detection of bacteremia was evaluated with 3 culture media each: BACTEC media 6A (for aerobes) and 7B (for anaerobes) plus a thioglycolate medium; and BACTEC media 6A, 7B, and 8A (hypertonic). In study I, clinically significant isolates were identified in 1873 (13.9%) of 13,432 patient blood cultures with all 3 media. The thioglycolate medium revealed 143 (1.1%) organisms not recovered rom the 6A and 7B media. In study 2, isolates were identified in 1135 (12.9%) of 8759 cultures with all 3 media; 104 (1.2%) organisms were isolated only from the hypertonic medium. The increased yield of positive cultures in the 3-medium system is likely due to the larger volume of blood cultured.