Anaerobic Culture and Susceptibility(Vitek 2 Compact)

Bacterial/ Viral

Report in 120Hrs

At Home

No Fasting Required

Details

Automated system for isolation and drug susceptibility of anaerobic bacteria.

₹1,110₹1,750

37% OFF

Anaerobic Culture and Susceptibility (Vitek 2 Compact)

Why is it done?
- Identifies anaerobic bacteria (organisms that grow without oxygen) from clinical specimens to determine the causative agent of infection
- Determines antimicrobial susceptibility patterns using the Vitek 2 Compact automated system to guide targeted antibiotic therapy
- Investigates serious infections such as intra-abdominal infections, sepsis, anaerobic bacteremia, lung abscesses, and polymicrobial infections
- Ordered when standard aerobic cultures fail to identify a pathogen in symptomatic patients
- Typically performed on specimens from normally sterile sites or clinically significant samples suggesting anaerobic infection
- Performed urgently in cases of severe infections with clinical signs of sepsis or persistent infections despite initial therapy
Normal Range
- Negative Culture Result: No growth of anaerobic bacteria detected within 5-7 days of incubation Indicates absence of anaerobic infection in the tested specimen Normal finding from most clinical samples
- Positive Culture Result: Growth of one or more anaerobic organisms identified Reported with organism identification and morphology Abnormal finding indicating anaerobic infection
- Susceptibility Interpretation: Susceptible (S): Antibiotic will likely be effective Intermediate (I): Organism has intermediate resistance; higher doses may be needed Resistant (R): Antibiotic unlikely to be effective Reported as Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) in μg/mL with interpretation
- Units of Measurement: Organism identification: Categorical (organism name) Susceptibility: MIC in μg/mL (micrograms per milliliter) Growth patterns: Qualitative description
Interpretation
- Positive Culture with Single Organism: Likely represents true pathogen causing infection Organism identity guides targeted antimicrobial therapy Susceptibility pattern determines optimal antibiotic selection
- Positive Culture with Multiple Organisms: Suggests polymicrobial infection (common in abdominal and wound infections) May require combination antimicrobial therapy Important for surgical site infections, perforated viscus, or aspiration pneumonia
- Susceptible Results: Organism expected to respond to recommended antibiotics Allows narrowing of antibiotic coverage for appropriate therapy Reduces unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotic use and costs
- Resistant Results: Organism unlikely to respond to specific antibiotic Necessitates change in antimicrobial therapy Important for treatment failures or slow clinical response May indicate need for alternative antibiotics or combination therapy
- Intermediate Results: Organism may respond at higher antibiotic concentrations Clinical outcome depends on infection site and drug penetration May be used if higher doses are achievable or for serious infections
- Factors Affecting Results: Specimen quality and collection method (anaerobic technique required) Transport time and conditions (delays reduce organism recovery) Prior antibiotic exposure (may affect susceptibility patterns) Mixed flora composition in polymicrobial specimens Vitek 2 Compact system calibration and maintenance Inoculum size and organism viability at testing
- Clinical Significance: Results guide de-escalation or modification of initial empiric therapy Essential for optimizing patient outcomes in serious infections Helps prevent unnecessary antibiotic exposure and resistance development Critical in cases of treatment failure or clinical deterioration Used to monitor antimicrobial resistance patterns in institution
Associated Organs
- Primary Organ Systems: Gastrointestinal tract (most common source of anaerobic bacteria) Biliary system and liver Female reproductive organs and uterus Respiratory tract and lungs Soft tissues and skin Bloodstream (bacteremia/sepsis)
- Common Anaerobic Organisms Identified: Bacteroides fragilis (most frequent pathogenic anaerobe) Prevotella species Clostridium perfringens, C. difficile, other Clostridium species Peptostreptococcus species Fusobacterium species Propionibacterium acnes Eubacterium species
- Medical Conditions Associated with Abnormal Results: Intra-abdominal infections (appendicitis, peritonitis, diverticulitis) Aspiration pneumonia and lung abscess Necrotizing soft tissue infections (gas gangrene) Sepsis and bacteremia from polymicrobial source Wound and surgical site infections Pelvic inflammatory disease and tubo-ovarian abscess Endometritis and postpartum infection Cholecystitis and cholangitis Dental infections and periodontal disease Empyema and pleural infections
- Diseases Diagnosed or Monitored: Community-acquired pneumonia with anaerobic component Hospital-acquired infections Immunocompromised patient infections Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (C. difficile) Bacteremia of unknown origin Recurrent or persistent infections despite therapy
- Potential Complications: Sepsis and septic shock from untreated anaerobic infection Multi-organ dysfunction in severe polymicrobial infections Abscess formation and chronic localized infections Treatment failure with inappropriate antimicrobial selection Antimicrobial resistance development with inadequate or prolonged therapy Tissue necrosis in necrotizing infections Death if diagnosis and appropriate treatment delayed
Follow-up Tests
- Recommended Based on Initial Results: Repeat culture if initial results inconclusive or contamination suspected Extended incubation cultures if slow-growing organisms suspected Additional susceptibility testing if resistance patterns unexpected
- Complementary Diagnostic Tests: Aerobic culture and susceptibility (concurrent polymicrobial infection) Gram stain of specimen (preliminary organism morphology) Complete blood count (WBC elevation, indicators of infection severity) Blood cultures (bacteremia assessment) Procalcitonin or CRP (infection biomarkers, severity assessment) Lactate level (tissue perfusion, sepsis severity) Imaging studies (CT, ultrasound, X-ray for source identification)
- Further Investigations if Treatment Failure: Repeat culture from same or new specimen source Specialized testing (beta-lactamase production, extended susceptibilities) MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for difficult organism identification Consultation with infectious disease specialist Assessment of source control adequacy (surgical intervention) Evaluation of antibiotic penetration to infection site
- Monitoring Frequency for Ongoing Conditions: Repeat cultures typically not needed if clinical improvement with appropriate therapy Follow-up cultures indicated for persistent fever or clinical deterioration For severe sepsis: cultures every 48-72 hours until source controlled In immunocompromised patients: more frequent monitoring based on clinical course Repeated cultures for chronic or recurrent infections to assess resistance trends
- Related Complementary Tests: Mycobacterial culture (if TB suspected) Fungal culture (immunocompromised patients) Acid-fast bacilli smear and culture Toxin assays (C. difficile toxin for antibiotic-associated diarrhea) 16S rRNA gene sequencing (for difficult-to-identify organisms) PCR testing for specific pathogens (rapid detection capability)
Fasting Required?
- Fasting Requirement:No
- Explanation: This is a culture-based microbiological test, not a serum chemistry test Fasting status does not affect culture results No dietary restrictions required Food and fluid intake do not interfere with specimen collection or analysis
- Specimen Collection Requirements: Specimens must be collected using strict anaerobic technique Use appropriate anaerobic collection containers or swabs Avoid exposure to atmospheric oxygen Transport specimens rapidly (within 30 minutes optimal) Swabs should be placed in anaerobic transport media Syringes or specialized anaerobic containers preferred for liquid specimens
- Patient Preparation Instructions: Inform healthcare provider of current antibiotic use (affects culture results) Ensure specimen site is properly cleaned/prepped per protocol Avoid contamination of specimen collection site with skin flora Disclose any recent infections or previous culture results Remain still and follow collection instructions for proper technique
- Medications: Do NOT stop current antibiotics unless specifically instructed Continue all regular medications as prescribed Antibiotic use does not prevent culture from being ordered Laboratory should be informed of recent or current antibiotic therapy This information helps interpret negative culture results Current antibiotics should be documented on culture request form
- Additional Special Preparations: No special preparation needed from patient Collection timing may be based on clinical urgency Multiple specimens from different sites may be collected if suspected polymicrobial infection Provide healthcare provider with detailed specimen source information Clearly label specimen as anaerobic culture requirement Ensure proper specimen identification to avoid errors Culture results typically available in 5-7 days (longer than aerobic cultures)

How our test process works!