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Increased rates of blood culture contamination during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2021

Zerelda Esquer Garrigos*
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
Mary Joyce B. Wingler
Affiliation:
Department of Antimicrobial Stewardship, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi
Petros A. Svoronos
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi
Prakhar Vijayvargiya
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
David Goodman-Meza
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
John C. O’Horo
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
Bhagyashri D. Navalkele
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi
David Cretella
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi Department of Antimicrobial Stewardship, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi
Ithiel J. Frame
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi
Jason Parham
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi
Jose Lucar
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, JacksonMississippi
*
Author for correspondence: Zerelda Esquer Garrigos, E-mail: zesquergarrigos@umc.edu

Abstract

We observed a higher rate of blood-culture contamination during the COVID-19 pandemic at our institution compared to a prepandemic period. Given the potential implications of blood contamination in antibiotic and diagnostic test utilization as well as added cost, it is imperative to continue efforts to minimize these episodes during the pandemic.

Type
Concise Communication
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

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Footnotes

a

Authors of equal contribution.

References

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