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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Equine blood cultures: Can we do better?
Equine veterinary journal2022; 55(4); 584-592; doi: 10.1111/evj.13891

Equine blood cultures: Can we do better?

Abstract: Blood culture is considered the gold standard test for documenting bacteraemia in patients with suspected bacterial sepsis in veterinary and human medicine. However, blood culture often fails to yield bacterial growth even though the clinical picture is strongly suggestive of bacterial sepsis, or contaminating organisms can overgrow the true pathogen, making accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of this life-threatening condition very challenging. Methodology for collecting blood cultures in equine medicine, and even in human hospitals, is not standardised, and many variables can affect the yield and type of microorganisms cultured. Microbiological culture techniques used in the laboratory and specific sample collection techniques, including volume of blood collected, aseptic technique utilised, and the site, timing and frequency of sample collection, all have substantial impact on the accuracy of blood culture results. In addition, patient-specific factors such as husbandry factors, the anatomical site of the primary infection, and changing microflora in different geographic locations, also can impact blood cultures. Thus, blood cultures obtained in practice may not always accurately define the presence or absence of, or specific organisms causing, bacteraemia in horses and foals with suspected sepsis. Erroneous blood culture results can lead to inappropriate antimicrobial use, which can result in poor outcomes for individual patients and contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance in the patient's microflora and the environmental microcosm. This review summarises current indications and methodology, and specific factors that may be optimised, for equine blood culture, with particular focus on available literature from neonatal foals with suspected bacterial sepsis. To standardise and optimise blood culture techniques in horses and foals, future research in this area should be aimed at determining the optimal volume of blood that should be collected for culture, and the ideal site, timing, and frequency of sample collection.
© 2022 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2022-10-18 PubMed ID: 36210694DOI: 10.1111/evj.13891Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article discusses the shortcomings and inconsistencies in the methodology of blood culture testing in horses, particularly in relation to bacterial sepsis. The article also offers arguments for standardised and optimised techniques in this field, with a focus on neonatal foals with suspected sepsis.

Methodology of Blood Culture Collection

  • The researchers emphasize the lack of standardization in the methodology of collecting blood cultures in both human and equine medicine. This includes variables like techniques used for microbiological culture in the laboratory, and methods of sample collection such as the volume of blood collected, aseptic technique used, and the site, timing, and frequency of sample collection.
  • All these variables have a significant impact on the accuracy of the blood culture results.

    • Factors Affecting Blood Cultures

    • The article also highlights the influence of certain patient-specific factors on the results of blood cultures. These include husbandry factors, the anatomical site of the primary infection, and changing microflora in different geographic locations.
    • These unpredictable variables mean that blood cultures obtained in practice may not accurately define the presence or absence of bacteria causing sepsis, or specifically identify the bacteria involved.
    • Inaccurate results can lead to inappropriate use of antimicrobials, giving rise to poor patient outcomes and contributing to the development of antimicrobial resistance.

    Proposed Standardized Techniques

    • The research article proposes that there’s a pressing need for standardization and optimization in how blood culture samples are taken in equine medicine, particularly in neonatal foals with suspected sepsis.
    • The researchers call for future research to determine the optimal volume of blood to be collected, and the most appropriate site, timing, and frequency of sample collection.

Cite This Article

APA
Giancola S, Hart KA. (2022). Equine blood cultures: Can we do better? Equine Vet J, 55(4), 584-592. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13891

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 55
Issue: 4
Pages: 584-592

Researcher Affiliations

Giancola, Shyla
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Hart, Kelsey A
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Horses
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Blood Culture / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / microbiology
  • Bacteremia / diagnosis
  • Bacteremia / veterinary
  • Bacteremia / microbiology
  • Sepsis / diagnosis
  • Sepsis / veterinary
  • Anti-Infective Agents

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