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A skin or wound culture is a test
to detect and identify bacteria or fungus that may be infecting the skin or a wound.
A sample of skin, tissue, or fluid is collected from the affected area and
placed in a container with substances that promote the growth of bacteria
or fungus. If no bacteria or fungus grow, the culture is negative. If organisms
that can cause infection (pathogenic organisms) grow, the culture is positive.
The type of bacteria or fungus will be identified with a microscope and/or
by chemical tests.
Some types of bacteria normally live
on or in the body, such as staph (Staphylococcus) or strep (Streptococcus)
on the skin, E. coli in the intestines,
and Lactobacillus in the vagina.
If these bacteria enter parts of the body where they are not normally found,
they may cause an infection. For example, if E.
coli bacteria spread from the anus to the urethra, the bacteria may cause a urinary tract infection
(UTI).
If bacteria or fungus that can cause
infection grow in the culture, other tests may be done to determine which
antibiotic will be most effective in treating the infection. This is called
susceptibility or sensitivity testing.
This test is done on a sample of
skin, wound tissue, or fluid from a wound. Samples may be collected from the
ear or eye, from open or closed sores, or from nails and hair.
Skin and Wound Cultures Results
Some types of bacteria or fungus grow
quickly in culture and some grow slowly. Test results may take from 1 day
to several weeks, depending on the type of infection suspected.
Normal:
No
large numbers of harmful organisms are found on the skin or in a wound. Normal
culture results are negative.
Abnormal:
Types of bacteria that
commonly cause infection in wounds are staph (Staphylococcus), strep (Streptococcus),
and Clostridium perfringens, a bacteria
found in soil and in stool (feces) that can cause gangrene.
The most common type of fungus that causes infection in wounds is Candida albicans. If organisms grow that can cause
serious infection, the culture is positive.
If test results indicate an infection, sensitivity testing may be done to determine the best
antibiotic
to use.
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