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Skin and Wound Cultures Want to live your best life?
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By clicking Subscribe, I agree to the WebMD Terms & Conditions & Privacy Policy A skin or wound culture is a test to find germs (such as bacteria and understand that I may opt out of WebMD subscriptions at any time.
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or a fungus) that can cause an infection. A sample of skin, tissue, or fluid is added to a substance that promotes the growth of germs. If no germs grow, the culture is negative. If germs that can cause an infection grow, the culture is positive. The type of germ may be identified with a microscope or chemical tests. Sometimes other tests are done to find the right medicine for treating the infection. This is called sensitivity testing.
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Most bacteria can grow in oxygen. They are called aerobic bacteria and usually are found in wounds close to the skin surface (superficial). Bacteria that cannot grow in the presence of oxygen (anaerobic) usually are found in deeper wounds and abscesses. A wound culture can find out whether bacteria are aerobic or anaerobic. A fungal culture is done to find out if an infection is caused by a fungus. A viral culture can be done to find out whether an infection is caused by a virus. Some types of bacteria that normally live on or in the body can cause an infection if they go to parts of the body where they are not normally found. For example, E. coli bacteria are normally found in the colon and anus. But if E. coli bacteria spread from the anus to the urethra, the bacteria may cause a urinary tract infection (UTI). CONTI NUE RE A DI NG B E LOW
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Culture samples may also be collected from the ear or eye, from open or closed sores, or from nails and hair.
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Why It Is Done A skin or wound culture is done to:
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Find the cause of an infection in a sore, burn, surgical wound, or injury. An injury includes animal bites, human bites, marine stings or scrapes, cuts, and puncture wounds that are more likely to get infected.
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Make decisions about the best treatment for an infection. This is called sensitivity testing.
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You do not need to do anything before you have this test. If you are taking or have recently taken antibiotics, tell your doctor.
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Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form(What is a PDF document?).
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