Blood is the most important body fluid. Blood is used for most of the primary functions of the human body. Wide ranging functions from thermoregulation to nutrition depend on the circulation of blood around the body. The human body also has an intricate immune system that uses blood to mobilize the defenses of the body. The movement of blood to all parts of the body means that it is possible that blood is exposed to various diseases and illnesses. These diseases and illnesses may be attacking the cells of the blood itself or may be attacking other parts of the body. Whatever the case, the evidence of the infection will be present in the blood. This evidence may be in the form of elevations or depressions in the levels of critical blood components.
When it comes to bacterial infections, the evidence within the blood will be in the form of the bacteria themselves. The test to determine the exact nature of the bacterial infection is known as a blood culture test. A blood culture test is one where a sample of blood is collected and stored in a laboratory. The sample is left to allow any bacteria present in the blood to multiply. This ensures that when subsequent testing takes place, the quantity and size of bacteria is sufficient such that it is easily detectable and definable.
The blood culture collection procedure is a straightforward medical procedure. A blood culture collection before a surgery is also normally required. However, there are some precautions that are a part of the normal blood culture collection technique. The normal blood culture collection procedure dictates that the sample be collected in a sterile environment using sterilized medical equipment. In order to prevent contamination errors, the blood culture collection technique provides for the storage of the sample in multiple vials. This ensures that a contamination can be limited, if such a contamination takes place. The blood culture collection procedure for specimen collection usually takes just a few seconds. Blood is drawn from a vein in the forearm of the patient. The next step in the blood culture collection technique is to store this blood in several different vials that are airtight. After the completion of the blood culture collection procedure, the vials are sent immediately to a laboratory where the process of blood culture analysis can begin. Good practices that follow the correct blood culture collection procedure will ensure that the sample does not get contaminated which would otherwise lead to misdiagnoses. The blood culture collection cost would not be much as it is basic and would normally depend from clinic to clinic as also on the sickness to be diagnosed.