[Preliminary considerations for blood culture (author's transl)].

Some procedures are examined that more affect blood culture reliability. Basic recommendations concern the indications for blood cultures and the training of personnel who have to collect the specimens aseptically. The following steps are considered: informations required; skin disinfection; procedures of blood collection as anticoagulant to be used, volume of blood to be drawn, dilution in culture medium; time and number of cultures to be collected.