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Blood Culture

Test Overview

Blood normally doesn't have any bacteria or fungi in it. A blood culture is a test of a blood sample to find germs (such as bacteria or a fungus) that can cause an infection.

A bacterial infection in the blood, called bacteremia, can be serious. That's because the blood can spread the bacteria to any part of the body. A blood infection most often occurs with other serious infections, such as those affecting the lungs, kidneys, bowel, gallbladder, Opens dialog, or heart valves.

A blood infection may also develop when the immune system, Opens dialog is weak. This can occur in infants and older adults. It can happen because of a disease (such as cancer or AIDS) or from medicines (such as corticosteroids or chemotherapy) that change how well your body can fight infections (immunity).

For a blood culture, a sample of blood is added to a substance that promotes the growth of germs. The type of germ may be found using a microscope or chemical tests. Sometimes other tests are done to find the right medicine for treating the infection. This is called sensitivity testing. Two or three blood samples from different veins are often taken to make sure that a bacteria or fungus is not missed.

Current as of: April 30, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

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All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

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