Culture of purulent contents

What is the culture of purulent contents?

Culture of purulent contents is one of the basic diagnostic tests thatre aimed at identifying the speciesof bacteria that cause a given lesion, whichra proceeds with the production of pus. Pus, in medical terms, is a pathological exudative fluid, usually white or off-white in color, thats formed at the site of inflammation caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. This fluid includes dead cellsrs of the human immune system as well as bacteria and remnants of dead tissue. It is the presence of bacteria in the purulent contents that determines the effectiveness of performing a culture to identify the causative agent for a given infection.

This test involves the multiplication of pathoogranismsw obtained in the test material and their subsequent identification by evaluating the appearance of bacterial colonies and other growth parameters examined by a qualified microbiologist. In addition, it is possible to determine the resistance of a given bacterial strain to different typesof antibioticswhich significantly facilitates the planning of effective treatment.

When should a culture of purulent contents be performed?

Inflammations with abscesses can develop in a variety of conditions and locations in the human body. Abscesses of the skinry area are most often caused by a minor trauma, through which these organismsry disease penetrated into the body. Abscesses can also be located in internal organs, but then it is usually a much more serious condition thatry requires the patient to be hospitalized as soon as possible. Many infectious diseasesb can also proceed with the production of pus. The test can be ordered in all cases in which therers the possibility of collecting pus contents from the patient, which allows for a more accurate diagnosis and the implementation of appropriate treatment.

Who should perform a culture of purulent contents?

Whether a culture of purulent contents should be performed is decided by the doctor, usually when previous treatment has not been successful or when there are other diagnostic difficulties with the patient's currently ongoing condition. In addition to the obvious presence of purulent contents, symptoms that may accompany abscess formation are:

• bl around the affected area
• a spreading sensation
• reddening of the skinry
• increased warmth of the skinry
• in more widespread infections – fever, worsening of mood, general weakness