Optimizing Blood Culture Collection in Pediatric Patients: Volume, Timing, and Rapid Diagnostics
This review addresses the ambiguity surrounding pediatric blood culture collection, covering optimal specimen timing, volume requirements, and bottle selection. It also examines emerging rapid diagnostic approaches and their role in managing pediatric bloodstream infections, where adult criteria cannot be directly applied due to lower circulating blood volumes and different pathogen epidemiology.
The original study
Diagnosis of Bloodstream Infections in Children.
- Authors
- Dien Bard J, McElvania TeKippe E
- Journal
- Journal of clinical microbiology
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 26818669
Original abstract
Identification of bloodstream infections is among the most critical tasks performed by the clinical microbiology laboratory. While the criteria for achieving an adequate blood culture specimen in adults have been well described, there is much more ambiguity in pediatric populations. This minireview focuses on the available pediatric literature pertaining to the collection of an optimal blood culture specimen, including timing, volume, and bottle selection, as well as rapid diagnostic approaches and their role in the management of pediatric bloodstream infections.