Blood culture

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Risks

Results

Blood culture

Alternative Names:

Culture - blood

What the risks are:

There may be some bruising at the site of the venipuncture. Bleeding can also occur.

Special considerations:

Bacteremia sometimes comes and goes, so a series of three blood cultures may be performed before a negative result is confirmed.

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Review Date: 2/10/2006
Reviewed By: Kenneth Wener, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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