Blood culture is a diagnostic examination method to detect the presence of microorganisms in the blood. These microorganisms can be bacteria, fungi, or parasites.
Under normal conditions, blood should be sterile from various microorganisms. If there are microorganisms in the blood and cause infection, this condition is called bacteremia or septicemia. If microorganisms continue to multiply and spread, and are not handled properly, the sufferer can experience sepsis which is an inflammatory reaction throughout the body.
Bacteremia that does not cause serious symptoms or is not detected, can heal by itself, especially bacteremia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae or Salmonella. However, if bacteremia is accompanied by a serious bacterial infection, such as pneumonia or meningitis, intensive treatment is necessary. Bacteremia that is not handled properly can cause death.
The process of taking blood samples and examining blood cultures is quite simple. The doctor will examine the patient's blood sample in the laboratory.
Indications of Blood Culture
A blood culture test will be recommended if bacteremia is suspected. Symptoms of bacteremia that can be observed include:
- Headache.
- Limp.
- Hard to breathe.
- Shivering.
- Fever.
- Palpitations.
- Muscle ache.
If not treated properly, bacteremia can develop into sepsis which can be accompanied by damage to various organs in the body. Symptoms of sepsis can be pre-existing bacteremia, coupled with the following symptoms:
- Dizzy.
- Nausea.
- Mottled skin.
- Decreased blood pressure.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Decreased urine production. Decreased organ function
Blood clots occur in many blood vessels. Blood culture is more recommended for someone suspected of having bacteremia after undergoing surgery, undergoing heart valve surgery, or currently undergoing treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. Patients who have recently undergone these medical procedures have a high risk of becoming sepsis. In addition, blood culture is also recommended for infants and children suspected of having an infection, although it does not cause any symptoms. Some other risk factors that also make a person more susceptible to bacteremia and are encouraged to undergo blood culture procedures, include:
- Suffering from diabetes.
- Suffers from cancer.
- Suffered from autoimmune disease.
- Suffers from HIV or AIDS.
Blood Culture Warning
Blood sampling and blood culture procedures are very rare to cause serious side effects or complications. However, we also need to consider some risks that can occur, such as:
- Infection.
- Passed out.
- Hematoma, which is bleeding under the skin tissue.
- Bleeding, especially if the patient has a blood clotting disorder or is taking blood-thinning drugs, such as aspirin or warfarin.
- In certain cases, the veins where the blood sample is taken may swell. This condition is called phlebitis.
Preparation of Blood Culture
Generally patients who will undergo blood culture tests do not require special preparation. However, patients are required to notify the doctor about medicines (especially antibiotics or antifungals) and food supplements that are being used because they are treated can affect blood culture results.
Blood Sampling Procedure
The first step in blood sampling is skin sterilization at the location of blood collection. The most common location for blood sampling is the veins in the upper arm. The skin will be cleaned using an antiseptic to prevent infection and contamination of blood samples by bacteria. After that, the patient's arm will be tied so that blood can gather in the vein and clarify the location of the vein to facilitate blood sampling.
The doctor will insert a sterile needle into the patient's vein, then place a small bottle to collect blood. So that bacteria or fungi that infect patients can be detected properly, the doctor will take blood samples from several locations in the body. In adults, the doctor will take blood samples in 2-3 locations. The doctor will also do blood sampling several times on different days so that the results of a blood culture diagnosis are more accurate.
After the patient has blood drawn, the blood sampling point is then closed using a special bandage to prevent infection and stop bleeding. The blood sample is then taken to a laboratory for examination.
Blood Culture Examination Procedure
Blood samples taken from the patient will be grown in a special medium, generally a liquid medium. The medium that has been added to the patient's blood sample will be stored in a special storage room to grow microorganisms that are suspected to be present in the blood. The duration and conditions of storage of blood samples will vary depending on the type of bacteria you want to see. The average length of time for bacteria to breed is 5 days, although some bacteria can take up to 4 weeks.
If a person's blood culture results show a positive result, which indicates the presence of bacteria in the blood, the doctor can do a bacterial resistance test for antibiotics. The bacterial resistance test aims to determine the type of antibiotic that is most effective in eradicating the bacteria. Bacterial resistance tests are usually carried out for 24-48 hours.
If blood cultures from several samples show different results, for example from arm blood samples show positive results while from other parts are negative, it can be suspected that there is an infection of the skin or there is contamination in the sample. If blood cultures do not show any microbial growth for several days of incubation, blood cultures can be said to give negative results. If the results of a blood culture test are negative but the symptoms of an infection persist, the doctor may recommend that the patient undergo additional tests to confirm the infection.
It is important to remember that to detect viral infections using blood culture, special growth media are needed that are different from growth media for bacteria or fungi. The doctor will recommend the patient to undergo another test if it is suspected to have a viral infection.
After Blood Culture
If the results of a blood culture test show an infection of microorganisms in the blood, the doctor will give antibiotic or antifungal treatment according to the microbes that cause the infection. If the bacterial infection causes the doctor to give broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment by injection. If through a bacterial resistance test an effective type of antibiotic is known, the doctor will give antibiotic treatment according to the results of the resistance test.
Comments
Post a Comment