Skin And Wound Cultures: Results
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Results
A skin or wound culture is a test to find and identify germs (such as bacteria, a fungus, or a virus) that may be growing on the skin or in a wound.
Some types of bacteria, fungi, and viruses grow quickly in culture, and some grow slowly. Test results may take from one day to several weeks, depending on the type of infection suspected.
| Normal: | No large numbers of harmful germs are found on the skin or in the wound. Normal culture results are negative. |
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| Abnormal: | Harmful germs are found on the skin or in the wound. Abnormal culture results are positive. |
If test results are positive, sensitivity testing may be done help make decisions about treatment.
| Last updated: | June 05, 2008 |
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| Author: | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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