Skip to main content

Master of Public Health

Clinical impact of blood cultures contaminated with coagulase-negative staphylococci at an academic medical center.

AUTHORS

van der Heijden YF , Miller G , Wright PW , Shepherd BE , Daniels TL , Talbot TR , . Infection control and hospital epidemiology. 2011 6 1; 32(6). 623-5

ABSTRACT

Of all blood cultures positive for coagulase-negative staphylococci collected in 1 year at an academic hospital, 100 were selected randomly for review and designated true positives or contaminated. For the 85 patients whose cultures were determined to be contaminated, chart abstractions revealed substantial unnecessary antibiotic administration, additional laboratory tests and procedures, and hospital readmissions.

Of all blood cultures positive for coagulase-negative staphylococci collected in 1 year at an academic hospital, 100 were selected randomly for review and designated true positives or contaminated. For the 85 patients whose cultures were determined to be contaminated, chart abstractions revealed substantial unnecessary antibiotic administration, additional laboratory tests and procedures, and hospital readmissions.

Tags: