Contamination rates of blood cultures obtained by dedicated phlebotomy vs intravenous catheter

Authors :: Norberg, Alonna
Christopher, Norman C.
Ramundo, Maria L.
Bower, John R.
Berman, Shirley A.
Source :: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association. Feb 12, 2003, Vol. 289 Issue 6, p726, 4 p.
Publication Year :: 2003
Abstract: Doctors who want to do a blood test on children to see if they have a bacterial infection should not take the blood from an intravenous catheter. The blood may be contaminated with bacteria from the surface of the skin, which would give a false-positive result. This was the conclusion of a study of 4,108 children.

Subjects :: Blood -- Contamination
Bacteremia -- Diagnosis
Children -- Medical examination

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