Comparison Between Bactec Peds Plus F Broth and Conventional Medium for Vitreous Culture

Purpose: To evaluate the yield of Bactec Peds Plus F broth for vitreous sample culture in cases with infectious endophthalmitis in comparison to conventional medium.

Patients and Methods: Consecutive cases of clinically suspected endophthalmitis were prospectively enrolled in this study. Cultures of the vitreous sample were performed in both Bactec Peds Plus F broth and conventional mediums.

Results: Forty eyes of 40 patients who were clinically suspected of infectious endophthalmitis with different etiologies were enrolled in this study. The positive culture yield was 50% and 35% in Bactec Peds Plus F broth and conventional mediums, respectively (p = 0.07). The result of Bactec group was not significantly different among patients who had a history of intravitreal antibiotic injection (p > 0.05) (Table 2). However, results of the conventional method were significantly negative in the previous intravitreal antibiotic injection group (p = 0.02). There was no correlation between the methods of vitreous sampling in both culture methods.

Conclusion: Although the difference between two culture methods was not statistically significant in this study, Bactec Peds Plus F broth showed higher positive culture yield in patients with a history of intravitreal antibiotic injection.