The microbiology of evacuated blood collection tubes. 1977

J A Washington

A collaborative study involving 20 clinical laboratories representing diverse geographical regions was organized to examine the microbiology of evacuated blooc collection tubes. Overall, 14% of the 1433 tubes examined contained microorganisms representing a variety of bacteria and fungi. Of note was the finding that nearly 9% of tubes with yellow closures, which are stated to be sterile by the manufacturers, contained bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enterococci, Serratia marcescens, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. Sterilization of these potential sources of infection is advisable.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001800 Blood Specimen Collection The taking of a blood sample to determine its character as a whole, to identify levels of its component cells, chemicals, gases, or other constituents, to perform pathological examination, etc. Blood Specimen Collections,Collection, Blood Specimen,Collections, Blood Specimen,Specimen Collection, Blood,Specimen Collections, Blood
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001419 Bacteria One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive. Eubacteria
D013242 Sterilization The destroying of all forms of life, especially microorganisms, by heat, chemical, or other means.

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