The New Zealand medical journal
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To assess the utility of blood cultures in the management of patients presenting to the Emergency Department at Christchurch Hospital from the community with non-facial cellulitis (or soft tissue infection) and no other morbidity. ⋯ Blood cultures are rarely positive in patients presenting from the community with non-facial cellulitis. When they are positive, initial empiric therapy is usually adequate to treat pathogenic bacteria. The available evidence does not support the routine use of blood cultures in the clinical management of healthy adults presenting with non-facial cellulitis at the Emergency Department.