What Is A Blood Culture Test?
What Symptoms Show That A Blood Culture Test Is Needed?
- Fast heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Chills
- Confusion
- Urinating less than usual
If the infection is a little more serious, you might:
- Blood pressure goes down a lot
- Small cots of blood form in blood vessels
- Inflammation
- Organ damage
How Is The Test Sample Collected?
In the lab, the sample is put in a dish called a “culture,” which is then watched to see if any bacteria or
germs are present.
What Do The Test Results Mean?
The test results help the doctor determine if a certain blood germ or bacteria is causing the infection. If the test comes back positive, it means that bacteria are in the bloodstream. However, if two or more blood culture tests return positive for the same fungi or bacteria, it’s more likely that this type caused the infection. If this happens, your doctor will put you in the hospital immediately so you can get treatment.
In contrast, negative test results mean no bacteria or germs in the blood. But if one test comes back positive and the second one comes back negative, it could mean that there is an infection. At the same time, it could also mean that your skin’s germs got into the blood sample. So your doctor would ask you to do more blood culture tests so that they could make a clear diagnosis.