We analysed the bacterial contamination of 1999 bone allografts retrieved from 200 cadaver donors under sterile operating conditions. The effect of various factors on the relative risk of contamination was estimated using a multiple logistic regression model.

Organisms of low pathogenicity were cultured from 50% of the grafts and of high pathogenicity from 3%. The risk of contamination with low pathogenic organisms (mainly skin commensals) increased by a factor of 1.6 for each member added to the procurement team. The risk of contamination with high pathogenic organisms (mainly contaminants from the gastrointestinal tract) was 3.4 times higher in donors with a traumatic cause of death and 5.2 times higher in those with a positive blood culture. Preceding organ procurement did not significantly influence the risk of contamination. Rinsing the graft with an antibiotic solution was not an effective decontamination method.

The major source of contamination is exogenous and is strongly influenced by the procurement team. Contamination from endogenous sources can be controlled by donor selection. We discuss methods that can be used to decrease contamination and the rate of discarding of bone allografts.