Recovery of select rare and fastidious microorganisms from blood cultures

Most, if not all, rare or fastidious microbial pathogens can be recovered from standard blood culture bottles and media using routine laboratory methods. Because they are only rarely recovered from blood cultures, relatively few data exist concerning the ability of different blood culture systems to recover these microorganisms. Thus, clinical microbiologists should take a conservative approach when processing blood cultures that may contain one of the microorganisms reviewed in this article, including the use of additional media, media supplements, blind and terminal subcultures, or prolonged incubation and testing.