Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture testing is the gold standard for diagnosing bacterial meningitis. Culture testing is particularly important for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis following neurosurgical procedures because it is difficult to distinguish from noninfectious meningitis [1]. Proper identification of the causative bacteria and antimicrobial susceptibility testing using CSF cultures are essential for appropriate treatment [2]; however, identifying the causative organism of meningitis following neurosurgical procedures can be difficult. It has been reported that ∼50% of patients with nosocomial meningitis receive antimicrobial agents before CSF samples are collected [3]. The administration of such antimicrobial agents prior to CSF collection can reduce the rate of positive CSF culture tests by up to 44% [4].

Blood culture bottles for culturing sterile body fluids, such as pleural [5] and ascitic fluids [6], have been reported to be useful for identifying organisms responsible for infections. However, reports of their use for CSF cultures are scarce [7], [8]. The usefulness of blood culture bottles for CSF cultures in patients who receive antibiotics prior to specimen collection remains unknown. Herein, we report a case in which CSF culturing using blood culture bottles was useful for diagnosing bacterial meningitis after neurosurgery.