Use of anaerobically incubated media to increase yield of positive blood cultures in children.

During a 3-year period we received 10024 blood samples for culture from pediatric patients. Overall 181 episodes of significant bacteremia were documented. During the study period we would have missed 35 (19%) of all significant episodes of pediatric bloodstream infections if we had not been using the anaerobically incubated blood bottle. Anaerobically incubated blood samples are also necessary in the pediatric population.