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A long-standing issue in pediatrics is whether the volume of blood submitted for culture affects the accuracy of the culture result. Investigators in Australia evaluated blood cultures from 783 children (age, ≤18) that were submitted to a children’s hospital laboratory before and after implementation of an intervention designed to increase awareness about adequate blood-culture submission. Laminated posters were placed in all blood-collection areas, indicating recommended blood volumes by age (≥0.5 mL for infants younger than 1 month, >1.0 mL for children aged 1 to 36 months, and >4.0 mL for patients older than 36 months).
Adequate blood-culture volume, as assessed by the weight of the bottles, increased from 46% of cultures taken before the…