Proper Blood Culture Technique

Submitted by Nick on November 9, 2012

Blood is one of the most important fluids in the human body. It is used as the agent for the transport of many substances around the body. Absorbed nutrition is transported to all parts of the body. Wastes are also transported in the blood. The blood contains, within it, many aspects of the immune system and is used to mobilize the defenses of the body during times of need. Because it flows around the body, the blood may be exposed to infections and diseases present within the body. Even if it is not directly affected by the disease or infection, the blood may carry traces of the condition which are diagnostically relevant. The analysis of the blood is therefore important for many medical conditions.

In the field of microbiology, one would find a procedure known as a blood culture test. This test is used to identify the presence of yeast infections and bacterial infections in a sample of blood. This test is used to identify the exact type of bacteria or yeast in the blood so that the perfect treatment for the same can be initiated. Blood culture testing occurs usually after there are signs of an infection such as visible symptoms and an increase in white blood cell count. Proper blood culture analysis is done mainly in the laboratory while the proper technique of blood culture collection is best done by a medical professional.

The proper blood culture process allows infections to grow within the sample of blood so that they can be properly identified. It is important that, at all stages, proper blood culture technique is followed. Many tests fail to deliver the correct verdict because of the contamination of the sample by not following the proper blood culture technique. In order to ensure that the proper blood culture technique is being followed, the doctor should ensure that the sample is collected in a sterile environment. The best case scenario as far as a proper blood culture technique goes is that the sample is collected and sent immediately to the laboratory. The needle site should be thoroughly cleaned and the environment for proper blood culture collection should be completely sterile. This will ensure that the chances of contamination are minimal. The proper blood culture technique also involves the cultivation of the sample for a period of time. This means that the laboratory must also be sterile and the sample unaffected by conditions within the lab. Certain factors such as exposure to cold, heat and sunlight should be taken into account if one wishes to perform a proper blood culture analysis.

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