Clinics in laboratory medicine
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Various factors are important in the laboratory detection of bacteremia and fungemia. These include clinical factors, the type of blood culture system, and laboratory processing of blood culture bottles. ⋯ To optimize microbial recovery, clinicians should order and collect the proper number of blood cultures at the earliest possible time and before the administration of antimicrobial agents. Clinical microbiologists should select a blood culture system that optimizes the recovery of common microbial pathogens and should use blood culture systems according to the manufacturers' recommendations.