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. 2018 Mar 19;13(3):e0192048.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192048. eCollection 2018.

The effect of storage delay and storage temperature on orthopaedic surgical samples contaminated by Staphylococcus Epidermidis

Maïté Van Cauter  1 , Olivier Cornu  1 , Jean-Cyr Yombi  1   2 , Hector Rodriguez-Villalobos  3 , Ludovic Kaminski  1
Affiliations

The effect of storage delay and storage temperature on orthopaedic surgical samples contaminated by Staphylococcus Epidermidis

Maïté Van Cauter et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Prosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) is a rare but devastating complications with high morbitity and mortality. The identification of the causal microorganism remains crucial and determines therapeutic strategies and success. Microbiology cultures remain the common method to diagnose PJI. Unfortunately, 14% of intra-articular punctures remain negative after culture. The microorganisms are best detected by inoculation of microbiology samples in blood culture bottles (Bactec), or after sonication of the implant and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The identification of the causal microorganism remains crucial and determines therapeutic success.

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the effect of culture lead time and sample storage temperature on the detection of the pathogen.

Methods: We obtained bone fragments from femoral heads during primary arthroplasty. Bone fragments were contaminated with a strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis. Four set-ups with different combinations of storage delay and storage temperature were tested.

Results: Our study shows the need to cultivate as soon as possible and optimally within 2h after the completion of sampling. Temporary storage in a refrigerator at 4°C also appears to have a positive influence on bacterial viability. At present, these conclusions concern only the Staphylococcus Epidermidis. Others studies are requested to generalize this conclusion to other bacteria.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Results from experiments 1 and 2.
The graph shows the bacterial growth according to the delay before sowing.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Results from experiments 1 and 2.
In function of the storage temperature.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Results from experiments 1 and 2.
The graph show the trend of the growing in function of the delay before sowing at to different temperature storage.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Results for the 3rd experiment.
In green the bone preparation with autoclave and in blue without autoclave.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Results for the 4th experiment.
Number of colonies tends to completely disappear when delay before sowing is longer than 6h.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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