Background: This study was designed to evaluate the performance of FAN-aerobic bottles (FANA) in comparison with standard-aerobic bottles (STD-A) in BacT/Alert3D blood culture system.

Methods: A total of 596 pairs of blood cultures, submitted from Emergency Department of Pusan National University Hospital between July and December 2004, were evaluated. In addition to the routine blood culture protocol using standard blood culture bottles, 5 ml of blood samples was inoculated into FAN-A bottles for this study.

Results: Microorganisms were grown in 84 (14.1%) of 596 cultures; of those, 15 were positive in STD-A only (2.5%), 35 in FAN-A only (5.9%), and 34 in both (5.7%). The positive rate in FAN-A bottles was significantly higher than that in STD-A bottles (P<0.001). The species of isolates and detection time showed no difference between the blood culture bottles.

Conclusion: In the BacT/Alert3D blood culture system, the use of FAN-A bottles instead of the standard aerobic bottles should yield a higher positive rate. (Korean J Clin Microbiol 2005;8(2):148-152)