Hardy et al, 2024. Blood culture bottles remain efficient months after their expiration date: Implications for low- and middle-income countries

Read the latest paper by Liselotte Hardy.

Background: We assessed real-time stability of commercial BCBs stored beyond their expiration dates in simulated “tropical conditions”. For this, we selected 5 brands of aerobic paediatric BCBs (Autobio, DL-Biotech, Schenker, Mindray, bioMérieux). Some of the BCBs were stored at controlled room temperature (as recommended), some in a climate chamber in “tropical conditions” (i.e. 45°C, 90% humidity) for up to 4-7 months after their expiration dates.

Methods: BCBs were inoculated with defibrinated horse blood spiked with 1-50 CFU/ml solutions of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Candida albicans and incubated in the relevant manufacturers blood culture machine. The BCBs were evaluated based on their growth promoting capacity (yield), the time-to-positivity (TTP) given by the automate.

Findings: We demonstrated that the shelf life of all tested BCBs extended beyond the expiration date stated by the manufacturers when stored at controlled room temperature. In addition, some brands even withstood extreme “tropical” temperature/humidity conditions, while others were severely affected by these storage conditions.

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Blood culture sampling

Bloodstream infection

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Sampling

Surveillance bacteriology