Effect of sodium polyanethol sulfonate in blood cultures

Abstract

Fifteen hundred hospital blood cultures were made in duplicate, with and without 0.05% sodium polyanethol sulfonate in the broth medium. A significantly higher rate and speed of recovery of both gram positive cocci and gram negative bacilli was accomplished in sodium polyanethol sulfonate broth. The effect was independent of the content of 0.1% agar in the growth medium. In the cases of Neisseria meningitidis septicemia examined, however, a detrimental result on recoveries was observed. The addition of sodium polyanethol sulfonate also resulted in an increased frequency of recoveries of contaminating organisms. (Journal received 20 April 1976)