Current Landscape of Blood Culture Diagnostic Methods

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are defined as a systemic infection resulting fromthe presence of viable microorganisms in the blood. BSIs are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, are a leading cause of death, globally, and a common cause of the life-threatening condition, sepsis. To best manage BSIs and prevent sepsis, fast and accurate diagnostic testing is necessary. Culture-based diagnostic methods for identification from positive blood culture require 24-hour subculture, potentially delaying time to appropriate therapy. Recently, several rapid, direct from positive blood culture diagnostic assays have emerged. These novel diagnostic assays include molecular-based assays and MALDI-TOF MS assays. Two rapid diagnostic assays, BioFire® FilmArray® BCID2 (bioMérieux, Durham, NC) and MBT Sepsityper Kit US IVD® (Bruker Daltonics GmbH & Co. KG, Bremen, Germany), and one culture-based method, the scum or short-culture method, were compared using positive blood cultures from the University of Maryland Medical Center. A total of 273 monomicrobial positive blood cultures, were collected from September 2021 to August 2022. Of the 273 monomicrobial cultures, FilmArray® BCID2 identified 88.3% (241/273) of pathogens. Rapid MBT Sepsityper Kit US IVD® identified 76.9% (210/273) of pathogens. MBT Sepsityper® Kit US IVD extraction method identified 82.4% (225/273) of pathogens.Total MBT Sepsityper Kit US IVD ® identified 88.3% (241/273) of pathogens. Scum or short culture was able to identify 83.5% (228/273) of the pathogens. Time-to-results forBioFire® FilmArray® BCID2 and MBT Sepsityper Kit US IVD® were approximately one hour or less. Time-to-results for scum was over five hours. In conclusion, performance of these platforms can reduce time-to-results and may help effectively treat bloodstream infections faster.

 

 

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