Rapid Implementation of Blood Culture Stewardship: Institutional Response to an Acute National Blood Culture Bottle Shortage

Romney M Humphries; Patty W Wright; Ritu Banerjee; Daniel E Dulek; John C Champion; David C Gaston; Thomas R Talbot

doi:10.1093/cid/ciae402

Rapid Implementation of Blood Culture Stewardship: Institutional Response to an Acute National Blood Culture Bottle Shortage

Clin Infect Dis. 2025 Feb 24;80(2):472-474. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciae402.

Authors

Romney M Humphries¹, Patty W Wright², Ritu Banerjee³, Daniel E Dulek³, John C Champion⁴, David C Gaston^{1

2}, Thomas R Talbot²

Affiliations

¹ Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
² Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
³ Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁴ Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Abstract

We describe our approach to addressing a nationwide supply issue for blood culture bottles. Aerobic blood culture bottles received from our distributor during 1-15 July 2024 were <1% of typical usage. Through education and ordering restrictions of blood culture, designed to minimize risk, orders were reduced by 49% over a 1-week period.

Keywords: blood cultures; laboratory stewardship; supply shortages.

MeSH terms

Blood Culture* / instrumentation
Blood Culture* / methods
Disposable Equipment* / supply & distribution