Culture Automated Bone Marrow (Blood culture bottle), Aerobic Test
About Automated Bone Marrow Culture test:
Bone marrow refers to the soft and fatty tissue that has many blood vessels, found in the center of most bones (especially the hip and femur bones). There are two types of bone marrows- red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow.
Automated bone marrow culture test examines this soft and fatty tissue inside the bone and looks for an infection inside the bone marrow.
Functions of bone marrow:
Bone marrow helps in:
· Production of components of the blood such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
· Storing fats which turn into energy as and when needed.
When and who should get the automated bone marrow culture done?
This test is indicated in cases where you
Are experiencing an unexplained high fever
Are suffering from an infection of the bone marrow
Have high or low blood cell count
Have immature blood cells present in the blood
Have any symptoms of cancer originating in the bone marrow (such as severe bone pain)
Have disorders associated with iron storage in the body
Test preparation
Your healthcare provider will insert a small needle into your bone and remove a sample of your bone marrow either from the back of your pelvic bone or from the front of your breast bone. This procedure is termed bone marrow aspiration or biopsy.
This collected specimen is then sent to a lab where it is kept in a special environment to encourage bacterial/viral growth. The specimen is examined on a day-to-day basis under a microscope to check for any bacterial/viral/fungal growth.
Please inform your healthcare provider if you are taking any medications, are allergic to any medications, have any bleeding issues, or are pregnant.
Interpretation of results:
The results are usually given as either normal or abnormal.
Normal test results: A normal test result indicates that there was no sign of bacterial/viral/fungal growth in your specimen. It means there was no infection seen in your sample.
Abnormal test results: An abnormal test result indicates you may have an infection of the bone marrow. This infection could be either from bacteria, fungi, or even viruses.
FAQs
What is the turnaround time (TAT) for culture-automated bone marrow?
The results of culture-automated bone marrow tests are usually available a week after the sample is collected. The sample is kept in a special environment to promote microorganism growth. The microorganisms in the sample specimen may take some time to grow.
Is culture-automated bone marrow a painful procedure?
Initially, the location for specimen collection is numbed with the help of an anaesthetic, and you may feel a sharp sting when it is given to you. In addition, the biopsy procedure may cause dull, brief pain, as the inside of the bone cannot be numbed. Hence, this test may cause a little discomfort.
What are the conditions that could be known with the help of bone marrow culture?
A few diseases that could be identified with the help of bone marrow culture are,
· Typhoid (blood and bone marrow culture)
· Atypical pneumonia
· Viral hepatitis (Serology)
· Other viral infections such as HIV, Epstein – Barr etc.
Will I be given general anesthesia for numbing the site of specimen collection before the procedure?
In most cases, adults do not require general anaesthesia whereas, it is commonly used in children. Nonetheless, you will be given a local anaesthetic, and an injection to numb the area of the sample collection. You will, however, also be given a sedative prior to the procedure.
How long will I be experiencing the pain after the procedure?
It is usually determined by the procedure you underwent. If the sample is taken via biopsy, the pain will last for a few hours to a single day, whereas if you were also subjected to bone marrow aspiration, you will experience soreness that will last for a few hours to 2-3 days post-procedure.
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