A blood culture is a medical laboratory test used to detect bacteria or fungi in a person's blood. Under normal conditions, the blood does not contain microorganisms: their presence can indicate a bloodstream infection such as bacteremia (presence of bacteria in the blood) or fungemia (presence of fungi in the blood), which in severe cases may result in sepsis. By culturing the blood, microbes can be identified and tested for resistance to antimicrobial drugs, which allows clinicians to provide an effective treatment.Your health care provider may order this test if you have symptoms of a serious infection, also known as sepsis. Symptoms of sepsis can include high fever, chills, rapid breathing and heart rate, confusion, and low blood pressure. The blood culture helps identify the type of bacteria causing the infection. This helps your provider determine how best to treat the infection.Performing the TestNo special preparation is required for this test. The site where blood will be drawn is first cleaned with an antiseptic. This reduces the chance of an organism from the skin getting into (contaminating) the blood sample and causing a false-positive result. When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away.The sample is sent to a laboratory. There, it is placed in a special dish (culture). It is then watched to see if bacteria or other disease-causing germs grow. With some infections, bacteria can be found in the blood only intermittently. So, a series of three or more blood cultures may be done to increase the chance of finding the infection. Other types of germs, such as a fungus or a virus, may also be found in a blood culture..Interpreting the resultNormal test resultA normal value means that no bacteria or other germs were seen in your blood sample.Abnormal test resultAn abnormal (positive) result means that germs were identified in your blood. The medical term for this is bacteraemia. This can be the result of sepsis. Sepsis is a medical emergency and you will be admitted to a hospital for treatment.Sometimes, an abnormal result can be due to contamination. This means bacteria may be found, but it came from your skin or from the lab equipment, instead of your blood. This is called a false-positive result. It means you do not have a true infection.RisksThere is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:Excessive bleedingFainting or feeling lightheadedMultiple punctures to locate veinsHematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)Dr Ankur Sharma is a Consulting Diabetologist
A blood culture is a medical laboratory test used to detect bacteria or fungi in a person's blood. Under normal conditions, the blood does not contain microorganisms: their presence can indicate a bloodstream infection such as bacteremia (presence of bacteria in the blood) or fungemia (presence of fungi in the blood), which in severe cases may result in sepsis. By culturing the blood, microbes can be identified and tested for resistance to antimicrobial drugs, which allows clinicians to provide an effective treatment.Your health care provider may order this test if you have symptoms of a serious infection, also known as sepsis. Symptoms of sepsis can include high fever, chills, rapid breathing and heart rate, confusion, and low blood pressure. The blood culture helps identify the type of bacteria causing the infection. This helps your provider determine how best to treat the infection.Performing the TestNo special preparation is required for this test. The site where blood will be drawn is first cleaned with an antiseptic. This reduces the chance of an organism from the skin getting into (contaminating) the blood sample and causing a false-positive result. When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away.The sample is sent to a laboratory. There, it is placed in a special dish (culture). It is then watched to see if bacteria or other disease-causing germs grow. With some infections, bacteria can be found in the blood only intermittently. So, a series of three or more blood cultures may be done to increase the chance of finding the infection. Other types of germs, such as a fungus or a virus, may also be found in a blood culture..Interpreting the resultNormal test resultA normal value means that no bacteria or other germs were seen in your blood sample.Abnormal test resultAn abnormal (positive) result means that germs were identified in your blood. The medical term for this is bacteraemia. This can be the result of sepsis. Sepsis is a medical emergency and you will be admitted to a hospital for treatment.Sometimes, an abnormal result can be due to contamination. This means bacteria may be found, but it came from your skin or from the lab equipment, instead of your blood. This is called a false-positive result. It means you do not have a true infection.RisksThere is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:Excessive bleedingFainting or feeling lightheadedMultiple punctures to locate veinsHematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)Dr Ankur Sharma is a Consulting Diabetologist
