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Table 1 Number of sub-cultures with growth from blood culture bottles spiked with different organisms and stored for different times at different temperatures after flagging positive

From: Impact of delayed processing of positive blood cultures on organism detection: a prospective multi-centre study

Organism (blood culture system, laboratory site)

SC1 (0–6 h)

Storage condition

SC2 (22–26 h)

SC3 (30–34 h)

SC4 (46–50 h)

SC4 swab* (46–50 h)

SC5 (7 days)

S. agalactiae

(BACTEC, LOMWRU)

15/15

Fridge

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

RT

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

Incubator

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

S. pneumoniae

(BACTEC, LOMWRU)

15/15

Fridge

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

RT

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

Incubator

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

S. pneumoniae (BacT/ALERT, COMRU)

14/14

Fridge

4/4

4/4

4/4

4/4

4/4

RT

5/5

5/5

2/5

5/5

0/5

Incubator

4/5

1/5

0/5

5/5

0/5

S. aureus

(BacT/ALERT, SMRU)

15/15

Fridge

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

RT

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

Incubator

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

H. influenzae

(BacT/ALERT, COMRU)

15/15

Fridge

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

RT

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

Incubator

5/5

5/5

5/5

2/5

5/5

E. coli

(BacT/ALERT, COMRU)

15/15

Fridge

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

RT

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

Incubator

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

5/5

  1. SC = sub-culture (duration of time stored after flagging positive), Fridge = 2-8°C, RT = incubator or air-conditioned room temperature (22-27°C), Incubator = 35±2°C. *SC4 swab = Amies transport swab inoculated at SC1.