Culture
ADVERSE EFFECT, POSITIVE
Deep tissue samples were homogenised and routine cultures, including aerobic and anaerobic bacterial cultures, fungal cultures and acid-fast bacilli cultures, were performed simultaneously. For synovial fluid culture, blood culture bottles were incubated on the BD-BACTEC-9240 instrument (BD Diagnostic Systems) for a total of 3 weeks if negative. Positive blood culture bottles were Gram stained and subcultured. Bacterial identification and drug susceptibility were performed using a Vitek II system (Biomerieux, USA). Quantitative culture methods were used from the samples and appropriate negative controls were established to avoid the adverse effect of contamination.