Test : Cerbrospinal fluid culture
Indications : The test is to isolate and identify pathogenic organisms causing meningitis, shunt infection, brain abscess, subdural empyema, cerebral or spinal epidural abscess, bacterial endocarditis with embolism.
Physiology : Symptoms are mostly associated with febrile illness (fever, lethargy and anorexia), meningeal inflammation giving rise to nausea, vomiting, photophobia and nuchal rigidity, leading to apathy and desire to be left in bed and encephalopathy with headache, confusion and seizures, stupor, coma and focal neurologic signs indicate a poor prognosis if present before start of therapy.
Normal Range : No growth
Interpretation : The gold standard for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is the isolation of a bacterium from the cerebrospinal fluid. Diagnosis of meningitis is made by examination and culture of CSF. Nucleated blood cell count, differential, Gram stain, CSF glucose, and CSF protein are needed. Blood cultures are often positive with meningitis.
Sample : Cerebrospinal fluid
Test Method : Aerobic culture
Related Tests : Bacterial antigens, Blood culture, Cerebrospinal fluid Analysis, Cerebrospinal fluid anaerobic culture.
Careers
