Contamination of Difco Bacto Blood Culture Bottles

To the Editor: We should like to report an episode of contamination in commercially prepared biologic fluids. Difco Bacto Blood Culture bottles containing Tryptic Soy Broth with SPS under vacuum with carbon dioxide (100-ml bottles) from lots 597658, 597665, and 597666 are sporadically contaminated with bacillus species. On January 18, 1974, this laboratory began using the Difco product for all blood cultures. Between January 30 and February 20, five positive blood cultures for bacillus species were found. Epidemiologic evaluation of the five bacillus isolates indicated that four had come from patients receiving intravenous infusions; thus, the recall, on February. No extract is available for articles shorter than 400 words.