Stool Culture
The stool culture test is conducted to isolate and identify bacterial organisms responsible for gastrointestinal symptoms . Healthcare professionals utilize stool cultures to screen for Salmonella, Shigella, Enteropathogenic E. coli, Campylobacter jejuni, etc.. This test mainly identifies pathogens colonizing the gastrointestinal tract, causing any associated symptoms, and initiates appropriate treatment suggestions.
Stool analysis
Stool analysis is used to screen for parasites in diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal disorders. Sometimes, the test is used by healthcare professionals to confirm the presence of specific parasites related to a particular clinical situation, like hepatosplenomegaly or iron deficiency anaemia.
Sputum Culture Test
The sputum culture test aids in differentiating bacterial, and some fungal, lower respiratory tract infections. Sputum production, characteristic of lung infections, offers a minimally invasive means of sampling more deficient airway secretions. Results help pinpoint pathogens, guiding appropriate antimicrobial therapy based on the presence or absence of normal respiratory flora.
Skin Swab Culture
The Skin Swab Culture test is employed to identify skin microbes and resistance patterns . Healthcare professionals use it to identify causative pathogens and assess resistance in wound pathogens or multidrug-resistant organisms on the skin.
Seminal Fluid Culture
The Seminal Fluid Culture test detects genitourinary tract infections, vital for diagnosing issues potentially impacting male fertility. Semen, typically a sterile fluid, is analyzed for the presence of microorganisms. Healthcare professionals utilize this test to identify infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae, and gram-positive cocci, guiding appropriate treatment strategies.
Respiratory Culture
The respiratory culture test is conducted to isolate and detect respiratory pathogens in both upper and lower respiratory tract infections and serves as a gold standard for pathogen identification. Healthcare professionals utilize this test to identify the specific pathogen, conduct antimicrobial resistance testing, guide appropriate therapy, and facilitate prompt antibiotic administration.
Pinworm Prep
The pinworm preparation test identifies enterobiasis caused by Enterobius vermicularis, a human intestinal parasite. Symptoms of parasite infection include itching, perianal ulceration, anal dermatitis, perianal folliculitis, and extraintestinal manifestations. Healthcare professionals utilize this test to identify pinworm eggs, differentiate them from chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and establish a diagnosis for appropriate management.
Ova + Parasites
An ova and parasite test looks for intestinal parasites such as Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc. and their eggs (ova). This test checks if intestinal parasites are causing symptoms that appear to be from an intestinal infection. This information helps healthcare providers know how to treat illness and see if treatment for intestinal parasites works.
Nasal Culture
Nose swabs may be used to investigate carriage of Lancefield group A streptococcus and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It may also be appropriate to screen for MSSA carriage in certain patient groups such as those pending surgery. For oncology patients it may also be appropriate to screen for Candida species
MRSA Rapid PCR
Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) plays an essential part in pathogenesis in non-healing resistant bacterial infections. Rapid Polymerase Chain Reaction on clinical samples taken from nasal swabs detects the presence of resistant bacteria. Timely identification of MRSA infections is critical in identifying and implementing hospital infection control measures and selecting antibiotic therapy to improve patient outcomes and […]
