Broth Culture Yield v Traditional Approach in the Work-up of Endophthalmiti

Purpoe To elucidate whether the Bactec Ped Plu F broth traditionally ued for culturing body fluid in pediatric department can alo be ued for vitreou culture in cae with clinically upected endophthalmiti, and to compare yield between thi method and the traditional method. Deign Propective, comparative clinical trial. Method All conecutive cae with clinically upected endophthalmiti treated in our intitution between July 2003 and November 2005 were included in the tudy. All cae were cultured both in the Bactec Ped Plu F broth and uing the traditional method. Reult Thirteen cae were included in thi tudy. The overall growth rate for the Bactec broth wa 28.4% higher than the traditional method (69.2% and 53.9%, repectively, P = .48). In two cae, one of acute-onet potoperative endophthalmiti due to treptococcu miti and one of delayed-onet potoperative endophthalmiti attributable to Candida albican, there wa poitive growth only in the Bactec broth. Concluion The Bactec Ped Plu F broth can be ued uccefully in the examination of clinically upected endophthalmiti. The method appear to have everal advantage over the traditional method: time-aving, a only one medium need to be inoculated, tranportation to the laboratory i impler a there i no need for immediate incubation, and there i no need to maintain a upply of freh agar media. Thi method i epecially uitable for office etting and remote clinic, but alo can be ued in hopital etting, a an adjunct, to increae the growth yield.