CLSI M47 A : 1ED 2007
Superseded
A superseded Standard is one, which is fully replaced by another Standard, which is a new edition of the same Standard.
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PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES FOR BLOOD CULTURES
30-04-2022
25-08-2018
Abstract
Committee Membership
Foreword
1 Scope
2 Standard Precautions
3 Definitions
3.1 Acronyms
4 Clinical Importance of Blood Cultures
4.1 Diagnostic Importance
4.2 Prognostic Importance
5 Specimen Collection and Transportation
5.1 Timing of Blood Cultures
5.2 Number of Blood Cultures
5.3 Volume of Blood for Culture
5.4 Distribution of Blood Between Aerobic and Anaerobic
Blood Culture Bottles
5.5 Disinfection of Skin and Prevention of Blood Culture
Contamination
5.6 Blood Culture Collection
5.7 Specimen Rejection Criteria for Blood Culture
Specimens
6 Methods and Procedures
6.1 Critical Factors in the Recovery of Pathogens
From Blood Specimens
6.2 Blood Culture Methods
6.3 Fungal Blood Cultures
6.4 Mycobacterial Blood Cultures
6.5 Special Topics
7 Reporting Results
7.1 Written and Electronic Reports
8 Contaminants
9 Safety Issues
9.1 Agents Associated With Laboratory-Acquired
Infections
9.2 Protective Measures
10 Quality Assurance
10.1 Preexamination Process
10.2 Examination Process
10.3 Postexamination Process
References
Additional References
Summary of Delegate Comments and Subcommittee Responses
The Quality Management System Approach
Related CLSI/NCCLS Publications
Provides recommendations for the collection, transport, and processing of blood cultures as well as guidance for the recovery of pathogens from blood specimens taken from patients who are suspected of having bacteremia or fungemia.
DevelopmentNote |
Supersedes NCCLS M47 P. (05/2007)
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DocumentType |
Miscellaneous Product
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PublisherName |
Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute
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Status |
Superseded
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SupersededBy | |
Supersedes |
The laboratory detection of bacteremia and fungemia remains one of the most important functions of
clinical microbiology laboratories. During the past 30 years, a number of studies have defined the critical
factors in the recovery of pathogens from blood and the optimal laboratory methods for recovering
specific pathogens, and have established the performance characteristics of blood culture systems. Despite
this information, there remains a need for guidelines for the collection, processing, and interpretation of
blood cultures.
Several in vitro blood culture devices are cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) for use in the United States. These devices typically are available for use in other countries.
This guideline is intended to provide guidance to clinical microbiologists and other laboratorians (e.g.,
pathologists, laboratory supervisors, laboratory managers) for the recovery of pathogens from blood
specimens taken from patients who are suspected of having bacteremia or fungemia. Specific
recommendations will be offered for the collection, transport, and processing of blood cultures. The
existing blood culture technology will be reviewed and the relative benefits of these technologies will be
compared. Procedures for the identification of pathogens will not be addressed. Antimicrobial
susceptibility testing of bacteria is addressed in CLSI documents M2—Performance Standards for
Antimicrobial Disk Susceptibility Tests,2 M7—Methods for Dilution Antimicrobial Susceptibility Tests for
Bacteria That Grow Aerobically,3 and M11—Methods for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of
Anaerobic Bacteria.4 Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of fungi is covered in CLSI/NCCLS documents
M27—Reference Method for Broth Dilution Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Yeasts5 and M38—
Reference Method for Broth Dilution Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Filamentous Fungi.6
CLSI M54 A : 2012 | PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES FOR DETECTION OF FUNGI IN CLINICAL SPECIMENS - DIRECT EXAMINATION AND CULTURE |
CLSI GP34 P : 1ED 2009 | VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION OF TUBES FOR VENOUS AND CAPILLARY BLOOD SPECIMEN COLLECTION |
CLSI M29 A4 : 4ED 2014 | Protection of Laboratory Workers From Occupationally Acquired Infections<br> |
CLSI GP34 A : 1ED 2010 | VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION OF TUBES FOR VENOUS AND CAPILLARY BLOOD SPECIMEN COLLECTION |
CLSI GP41 : 7ED 2017 | COLLECTION OF DIAGNOSTIC VENOUS BLOOD SPECIMENS |
CLSI H3 A5 : 5ED 2003 | PROCEDURES FOR THE COLLECTION OF DIAGNOSTIC BLOOD SPECIMENS BY VENIPUNCTURE |
CLSI GP17 A2 : 2ED 2004 | CLINICAL LABORATORY SAFETY |
CLSI M29 A3 : 3ED 2005 | ACQUIRED INFECTIONS; APPROVED GUIDELINE |
CLSI HS1 A2 : 2ED 2004 | A QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MODEL FOR HEALTH CARE |
CLSI M22 A3 : 3ED 2004 | QUALITY CONTROL FOR COMMERCIALLY PREPARED MICROBIOLOGICAL CULTURE MEDIA |
CLSI X3 R : 1ED 2002 | IMPLEMENTING A NEEDLESTICK AND SHARPS INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM IN THE CLINICAL LABORATORY |
CLSI GP2 A5 : 5ED 2006 | LABORATORY DOCUMENTS - DEVELOPMENT AND CONTROL |
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