Neutralization of the inhibitory effect of sodium polyanetholesulfonate on Neisseria meningitidis in blood cultures processed with the Du Pont Isolator System.

The inhibitory and bactericidal effects of sodium polyanetholesulfonate on Neisseria meningitidis were neutralized by blood lysis which occurs within the pediatric Isolator 1.5 Microbial tube (E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc., Wilmington, Del.). Lysed blood was more effective than 2.5% gelatin in preventing the inhibitory effect. All but 1 of 16 N. meningitidis strains were killed by 0.06% sodium polyanetholesulfonate in the absence of lysed blood, whereas none were killed by 1.0% sodium polyanetholesulfonate when lysed blood was present. The possible clinical relevance of these results was reflected in the improved detection of meningococcemia in children when the Isolator 1.5 Microbial tube was compared with a conventional broth system.