A protocol for microbiologically safe preparation, storage, and use of autologous serum eye-drops in low-income countries

Authors

  • Francesco Blasetti University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • Donatella Usai University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • Salvatore Sotgia University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • Ciriaco Carru University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • Stefania Zanetti University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • Antonio Pinna University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.4733

Keywords:

autologous serum, preparation, storage, administration, microbiological investigation

Abstract

Introduction: The study aimed to investigate whether the preparation, storage, and use of autologous serum in insulin syringes is microbiologically safe.

Methodology: Blood samples (10 mL) were obtained from 10 volunteers. After centrifugation, the supernatant serum was removed and distributed in 5 sterile insulin syringes for each sample; syringes were numbered 0 to 4 and labelled with the subject’s details. Syringes were immediately transported to the microbiology laboratory and stored in a refrigerator at +4°C. The “0” labelled syringes were separated from the others and 100 µl of serum from each syringe was immediately seeded on chocolate and Sabouraud agar plates, which were incubated aerobically at 37°C for 96 hours to detect any bacterial and/or fungal contamination. In the next 4 days, the same procedure was repeated for the remaining syringes: on day 1, the “1” labelled syringes were analyzed; on day 2, the “2” labelled ones, and so on. In a second experiment, blood samples were obtained from 5 different volunteers. The same procedure as above was followed, but each syringe was used for repeated cultures at 2-hour intervals, for a total of 12 cultures/day. The needle was removed and replaced for each inoculation and the syringes were stored in the refrigerator after use.

Results: Under these experimental conditions, none of the cultures showed microbial growth.

Conclusions: Results suggest that, under the protocol described, preparation, storage and use of undiluted autologous serum in insulin syringes is inexpensive, fast, and microbiologically safe. This is of great importance for low-income countries.

Author Biographies

Francesco Blasetti, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

Researcher

Donatella Usai, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

Researcher

Salvatore Sotgia, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

Researcher

Ciriaco Carru, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

Associate Professor of Clinical Biochemistry

Stefania Zanetti, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

Full Professor of Microbiology

Antonio Pinna, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

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Published

2015-01-15

How to Cite

1.
Blasetti F, Usai D, Sotgia S, Carru C, Zanetti S, Pinna A (2015) A protocol for microbiologically safe preparation, storage, and use of autologous serum eye-drops in low-income countries. J Infect Dev Ctries 9:055–059. doi: 10.3855/jidc.4733

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Section

Original Articles