Culture and Sensitivity - Mizzamine Floor Test

A culture is a test where infecting germs like bacteria or fungus are found. A sensitivity test is known as susceptibility testing and helps to identify the best possible antibiotic to kill the infecting microorganisms. Through this susceptibility test, the sensitivity of a bacteria or other microorganism to an antibiotic is determined. When someone has an infection where one or more than one type of microorganisms have been grown, a culture is done from a sample (taken from the infection site). This is performed when the treatment is not sufficiently responsive. Although viruses are potent microorganisms to cause infections, antiviral drugs testing is separately done to diagnose their resistance. It's prescribed simultaneously with the culture of the infected site (wound, pus, urine or blood culture) when the culture is positive for one or more infection-causing microorganisms.

A culture, as well as the sensitivity testing sample, must be collected prior to the beginning of any treatment with any antimicrobial. Otherwise, it will be done to check the effectivity of the treatment. No such specific preparation is needed for the test.

The culture and sensitivity test Mizzamine floor are conducted to determine which antibiotic should be given to treat an infection. Combination of antibiotics is important in case of multiple microorganisms being responsible for the infection (such as during wound infection). There can be three types of results in a report. Susceptible, which means the doctor will give an appropriate drug to fight the causative agent of the infection. The second type is intermediate which can be effective at a higher or more frequent dose when the susceptible drug isn't available. The last one is the resistant one which depicts such an antibiotic, that bacteria, fungi or other microorganism has demonstrated resistance to. It shouldn't be referred to as a treatment. Sometimes reports may show MIC or minimum inhibitory concentration, in units of milligrams per microliter. This is the lowest concentration of an antibiotic which will be useful to inhibit growth of microorganisms.

This test begins with a culture sample taken from the infected site. Blood, urine, sputum, saliva, spinal fluid, inside the cervix as well as pus can be used as a sample by swabbing. The sample is spread on a special growing surface. The grown microorganisms are known as a culture and they further multiply. These are then exposed to different types of antibiotics. Usually, bacteria take two days to grow due to their fast-growing, whereas other microorganisms like fungi take longer time.