Bacterial burden was assessed using quantitative microbiologic cultures of contaminated bone.
This conclusion is supported, in part, by data from microbiologic cultures of empyema and pleural fluid showing a wide variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms as well as fungi and culture-negative specimens.
Since the cause of the virus was not known at the onset of the outbreak, routine microbiologic cultures of sputum, urine, and blood were done to rule out common bacterial causes of pneumonia.
Although extra-label use of enrofloxacin is prohibited, microbiologic culture of either of the cited bacteria is not required before administration (2).
Microbiologic culture of the pacemaker electrode performed at a different institution yielded abundant growth of staphylococci that were misidentified as S. warneri, showing the same biochemical profile as the previously isolated bacteria as determined by the ID 32 Staph system.
In hospitalized children with parapneumonic effusion, conventional microbiologic culture of pleural fluid samples detected pneumococci in 15 of 55 isolates, real-time PCR detected pneumococci in 13 of 16 culture-negative isolates (81.2 %), and immunochromatographic testing detected pneumococci in 24 of 27 culture-negative isolates (88.9 %) [ 51].
In the absence of difficult-to-obtain bone marrow specimens, microbiologic culture of a blood sample is considered to be the current state-of-the art test for the diagnosis of typhoid fever even though its sensitivity may be as low as 40% [ 4, 5].
Routine microbiologic cultures for enteric bacterial pathogens were performed and showed negative results.
The following timing of AT prescription was analyzed: in the absence or before microbiologic sampling; after microbiologic sampling; on the results of Gram-stained direct examination, on the results of microbiologic cultures (24 to 48 hours); on the results of susceptibility testing.
Importantly, two investigators retrospectively reviewed all medical records pertaining to each patient and independently classified the diagnosis as SIRS, sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock at the time of admission on the basis of the review of the complete patient charts, results of microbiologic cultures, and radiographs.
Among the 215 patients with therapeutic emergencies, AT was initiated empirically on suspicion of infection in 152 cases (71%), in 195 (91%) at the time of the Gram-stain, on the results of microbiologic cultures in 206 cases (96%) or susceptibility tests in 214 (99.5%).
