In vitro antibiotic removal and bacterial recovery from blood with an antibiotic removal device.

The antibiotic removal device manufactured by Marion Laboratories (Kansas City., Mo.) is intended for treatment, before culture, of blood specimens from hospital patients being treated with antibiotics. Measurement of 13 antibiotics showed that the antibiotic removal device removed amikacin, ampicillin, carbenicillin, cefazolin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, nafcillin, tetracycline, tobramycin, and vancomycin and reduced cefoxitin and ticarcillin to extremely low levels. Three combinations of antibiotics were similarly removed or reduced. Five species of anaerobic bacteria, one yeast species, and six species of facultative or aerobic bacteria were used to challenge the possibility that the antibiotic removal device would trap or inhibit microorganisms. All were recovered from the device in the same numbers as were inoculated.

Rapid isolation of bacteria from septicemic patients by use of an antimicrobial agent removal device.

The new Antimicrobial Removal Device increased the efficacy of conventional methods for isolating bacteria from the blood of septicemic patients. The device removes as much as 100 microgram of antibiotics per ml from whole blood without a significant decrease in bacteria. Of 51 patients studied, 31 yielded positive cultures, and the Antimicrobial Removal Device permitted earlier isolation of the causative agent from blood. Subcultured within the first 12 h yielded 12 positive isolates, as the 31 agents were isolated more rapidly after Antimicrobial Removal Device permitted earlier isolation of the causative agent from blood. Subcultures within the first 12 h yielded 12 positive isolates, as compared to 2 when subcultured without processing in the device. Overall, 21 of the 31 agents were isolated more rapidly after Antimicrobial Removal Device treatment, and four samples were positive only after such treatment. One agent was not isolated in the treated culture.