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Updated: Jun 11, 2025
Murine Oropharyngeal Aspiration Model of Ventilator-associated and Hospital-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia
Published on: June 28, 2018
Blood volume collected for cultures in infants with suspected neonatal sepsis
Maria S Rueda1, Lamia Soghier2,3, Joseph Campos3,4,5,6
1Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. mruedaaltez@uabmc.edu.
Objectives:
To evaluate blood culture sample volumes, identify factors linked to insufficient samples, and compare volumes among neonates treated for culture-negative-sepsis, sepsis-rule-outs, and bloodstream infections (BSI).
Methods:
Observational cohort of blood cultures collected during NICU stay. Association of age, weight, gender, source, and collection time with lower-than-recommended volumes was determined by logistic regression. Blood culture inocula of patients with culture-negative-sepsis, sepsis rule-out, and BSI were compared using ANOVA.
Results:
742 blood cultures were obtained from 292 neonates. Median inoculum was 1 mL (IQR:0.6-1.4), and 259 bottles (35%) had inocula <0.9 mL. Night shift sample collection was associated with lower-than-recommended volumes (p = 0.006). No difference in sample volumes was observed between culture-negative-sepsis, sepsis-rule-outs, and BSI (p = 0.5).
Conclusions:
Median NICU blood culture volumes align with recommendations. Night shift collections correlate with lower volumes. Sample volumes don't differ in patients with culture-negative-sepsis, BSI, and sepsis-rule-out, and should not be a justification for longer duration of antibiotics.
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