Processing of osteoarticular samples for microbiological diagnosis: Results of a national multi-center survey

Iker Falces-Romero; Alicia Rico-Nieto

doi:10.1016/j.eimc.2021.01.011

Processing of osteoarticular samples for microbiological diagnosis: Results of a national multi-center survey

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin (Engl Ed). 2021 Feb 24:S0213-005X(21)00032-X. doi: 10.1016/j.eimc.2021.01.011. Online ahead of print.

[Article in English, Spanish]

Authors

Iker Falces-Romero¹, Alicia Rico-Nieto²

Affiliations

¹ Servicio de Microbiología y Parasitología Clínicas, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España. Electronic address: falces88@gmail.com.
² Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.

PMID: 33640151
DOI: 10.1016/j.eimc.2021.01.011

Abstract

Introduction: Our aim was to evaluate the variability in the processing of osteoarticular samples for microbiological diagnosis between different national centers.

Methods: An online survey with 13 questions was designed and it was sent through SEIMC to the Microbiology Departments of the different centers.

Results: We obtained 72 answers. In more than half of the tertiary-care centers, at least 5 samples are received. Approximately half of the centers vortex bones/implant samples. Sonication is used mostly in tertiary-care centers. Cultures for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria are performed during 6-10 days of incubation but with differences in liquid culture media. Molecular diagnosis is performed in less than 50% of the centers. Universal PCR (16S rRNA) is the most widely used technique.

Conclusion: We found heterogeneity especially in the use of sonication, liquid culture media or molecular diagnosis, probably in direct relation to the resources and capacities of each center.

Keywords: Diagnóstico microbiológico; Encuesta; Microbiological diagnosis; Muestras osteoarticulares; Multi-center; Multicéntrico; Osteoarticular samples; Procesamiento; Processing; Survey.