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Related Experiment Videos

False-positive Gram-stained smears

C H Hoke, J M Batt, S Mirrett

    JAMA
    |February 2, 1979
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

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    New culture devices initially caused more false-positive smears, increasing diagnostic errors. Replacing contaminated sets resolved this issue, highlighting the need for certified sterile collection devices to ensure accurate Gram-stain results.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Clinical Diagnostics
    • Infectious Disease

    Background:

    • Gram-staining is a fundamental diagnostic tool in microbiology.
    • Contaminated or substandard collection devices can lead to inaccurate smear results.
    • False-positive Gram-stain results can impact patient treatment decisions.

    Observation:

    • A significant increase in false-positive Gram stains (nonviable Gram-negative bacilli) was observed after introducing new culture-collection devices.
    • The rate of false-positive smears rose from 10.8 to 38.5 per 1,000.
    • Subsequent replacement of contaminated culture sets drastically reduced the false-positive rate to 8.0 per 1,000.

    Findings:

    • New culture-collection devices were associated with a surge in false-positive Gram stains.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Contamination within culture sets was identified as the cause of the increased false positives.
  • Five patients received altered therapy due to inaccurate false-positive smear reports.

    • Implications:

    • Manufacturers must ensure culture-collection devices are sterile and free from stainable microorganisms.
    • Quality control for diagnostic supplies is critical to prevent patient harm.
    • Standardized certification for diagnostic materials is recommended to ensure reliability.