BLOOD CULTURE TEST

You will provide
Blood Sample

This test is for both
Male and Female

Test Preparation
No any specified preparation needed

OVERVIEW

What is Blood culture?

A blood culture is a test that looks for foreign invaders like bacteria, yeast, and different microorganisms in your blood. Having these pathogens in your bloodstream can be a sign of a blood infection, a situation regarded as bacteremia. A positive blood culture implies that you have bacteria in your blood.

This kind of infection entails the blood that circulates within your whole body. Bacteria that begin on your skin or in your lungs, urine, or gastrointestinal tract are general sources of blood infections.

An infection can develop in your blood and emerge as major issue if your immune system isn’t able to keep it controlled. A systemic infection is referred to as sepsis.

The test for a blood culture includes a simple blood draw. The laboratory examines blood sample and forwards the result or outcome to your doctor, who will use the findings to assist ascertain what’s required to treat any infection.

What is a blood culture test used for?

Blood cultures are ordered when your doctor suspects you might also have a blood infection. It’s necessary to check for blood infections due to the fact they can lead to serious problems.

In sepsis, the pathogens that are inflicting the infection in your bloodstream intrude with your body’s normal defences and stop your immune system from working as it should. The pathogens additionally produce toxins that can injure your organs.

The outcome of the test can assist your doctor ascertain which particular organism or bacteria is inflicting the blood infection and how best to fight it.

Symptoms of blood infection and sepsis

Go to a medical doctor without delay if you’re experiencing any signs and symptoms of a blood infection.

These include:
headache
increased heart rate or palpitations
excessive fatigue
muscle aches
shaking chills
moderate or excessive fever
rapid breathing

Without treatment, a blood infection can move to its most extreme stage, sepsis:

The following are more symptoms of sepsis:

confusion

Dizziness

Nausea
decreased urine
mottled skin

As the infection progresses, more serious problems of sepsis may also develop. These can include:

inflammation in the whole your body
failure of one of more organs

formation of many tiny blood clots in your smallest blood vessels
a dangerous drop in blood pressure

What are the risk factors?

Blood cultures are performed frequently for people who are at a greater risk of developing a blood infection. You’re at a greater risk if you’ve been diagnosed with:

HIV or AIDS
cancer
diabetes
an autoimmune disease

The following conditions also put you at danger for blood infection:

You’ve had a prosthetic heart valve replacement.
You’re undergoing immunosuppressive therapy.

You’ve just had an infection.
You’ve just had a surgical procedure.

Blood cultures are as well drawn more often in newborns and children with fever who might also have an infection however don’t have the usual signs and symptoms of sepsis. Older adults are as well at greater risk for blood infections.

What other thing can Blood culture be used for?

A blood culture can also be used to identify conditions such as endocarditis. Endocarditis is a condition in which the bacteria in your bloodstream sticks to your heart valves and it can be life-threatening.

Are there Potential risks of a blood culture?

There are no considerable risks associated with the test. However, bearing in mind that this test has to do with a needle prick to withdraw the blood sample, in very uncommon cases,a patient may have bleeding, hematoma formation (blood series beneath the skin), bruising or infection at the place of needle prick.

How is a blood culture done?

To begin, your skin is cleaned to prevent any microbes on your skin from contaminating the test sample. Your nurse or technician then typically wraps a cuff or an elastic band around your arm to allow your veins to fill with blood and become very visible. They subsequently use one needle to draw many samples of blood from your arm.

After the draw, your phlebotomist covers the puncture site with some gauze or a bandage. The blood sample is then submitted to a laboratory where it’s cultured: Each blood sample is added to a bottle containing a liquid recognized as broth. The broth encourages any microorganisms existing in the blood sample to grow.

INTERPRETING THE RESULTS

If the blood culture is positive, this implies you have a bacterial or yeast contamination in your blood. The results commonly help your doctor to know of the unique bacteria or fungi that’s inflicting the infection.

Depending on the kind of organism observed in your blood, your doctor will perform another test referred to as a sensitivity or susceptibility test. This helps ascertain which particular medicine will work best against that organism. It is standard practice to run a sensitivity test as a follow-up to a positive blood culture test. It can also be carried out when an infection isn’t responding to treatment.

What to do after a blood culture

When your doctor suspects that you have a blood infection, he may start treatment immediately with the aid of intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics. This medication can start combating a broad range of bacteria in the process of waiting for the blood culture or susceptibility testing results.

Blood infections can result to serious complications, so discuss with your doctor if you’re at risk or if you’re showing any symptoms. Any fever lasting longer than three days need to always be evaluated by using a doctor or other healthcare provider. If a child younger than three months has a fever, they should be seen by a doctor immediately.

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is for patient general knowledge only and should not be used during any medical emergency, for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Duplication for personal and commercial use must be authorized in writing by Surjen.com.