Which anticoagulant is used when blood is sent for blood culture-: (A) Sodium citrate, (B) EDTA, (C) Oxalate, (D) SPS
Answer is D. Blood culture media contain 0.03% SPS (Sodium polyenathol sulfonate), a polyanionic anticoagulant which additionally inhibits complement and lysozyme activity. It inactivates inhibitory substances which are present in blood.