Usefulness of blood culture for hospitalized patients who are receiving antibiotic therapy

C J Grace; J Lieberman; K Pierce; B Littenberg

doi:10.1086/320527

Usefulness of blood culture for hospitalized patients who are receiving antibiotic therapy

Clin Infect Dis. 2001 Jun 1;32(11):1651-5. doi: 10.1086/320527. Epub 2001 Apr 30.

Authors

C J Grace¹, J Lieberman, K Pierce, B Littenberg

Affiliation

¹ Department of Medicine, Fletcher Allen Health Care, and University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA. christopher.grace@vtmednet.org

PMID: 11340541
DOI: 10.1086/320527

Abstract

We conducted a retrospective study to determine the yield of blood samples drawn for culture during the initial 72 h of antibiotic therapy given to 139 patients who were admitted to the hospital for community-acquired infections or fever. The yield of these blood cultures was predictable and rarely (in only 1 patient [0.72%]) isolated new pathogens.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
Community-Acquired Infections / blood
Community-Acquired Infections / drug therapy
Community-Acquired Infections / microbiology*
Female
Fever / blood
Fever / drug therapy
Fever / microbiology*
Hospitalization*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents