To detect a bacterial wound infection, to determine which specific bacteria are present, and to isolate and grow the bacteria for subsequent susceptibility testing
Bacterial Wound Culture
Bacterial Wound Culture
Formal Name
Wound Culture; aerobic and/or anaerobic
This article was last reviewed
on
This article waslast modified
on 24 February 2020.
At a Glance
Why Get Tested?
When To Get Tested?
When your wound is hot, swollen or there is redness around the area. A sign of wound infection can also be increasing or continual pain and when the wound itself is not healing as quickly as expected.
Sample Required?
Usually a sterile swab used to collect cells or pus from the site of the suspected infection. Occasionally aspirations of fluid from deeper wounds into a syringe and/or a tissue biopsy may be required.
Test Preparation Needed?
No test preparation is needed.
Accordion Title
Common Questions
-
How is it used?
-
When is it requested?
-
What does the test result mean?
-
Is there anything else I should know?
-
Why would my doctor collect more than one sample?
-
Once I have been treated, can my infection return?
-
Why might one person get an infection and another person not?
-
I had a boil on my arm and the doctor did not do a culture of the material when he drained it. Why not?