Biofire Blood Panel (BCID)

Bacterial/ Viral

Report in 72Hrs

At Home

No Fasting Required

Details

Multiplex PCR for rapid detection of bloodstream pathogens.

₹18,648₹26,640

30% OFF

Biofire Blood Panel (BCID) - Comprehensive Test Information Guide

Section 1: Why is it done?
- Test Purpose: The Biofire Blood Panel (BCID - Blood Culture Identification) is a rapid molecular diagnostic test that identifies pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and yeasts directly from blood cultures using PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology within 1 hour.
- Primary Indications: • Diagnosis of bacteremia or fungemia in patients with suspected bloodstream infections • Evaluation of fever of unknown origin in hospitalized patients • Assessment of sepsis or septic shock • Confirmation of endocarditis (heart valve infection) • Investigation of catheter-related bloodstream infections • Monitoring immunocompromised patients with systemic infection signs
- Typical Timing and Circumstances: • Performed when blood culture shows signs of growth (turbidity, positive Gram stain, or automated system positive signal) • Usually ordered as an emergency/stat test in hospital settings • Used in emergency departments, intensive care units, and inpatient settings • Provides rapid results to guide antimicrobial therapy decisions • Can provide preliminary identification within 1 hour of positive blood culture signal
Section 2: Normal Range
- Normal Results: NEGATIVE or "No pathogen detected" • Indicates absence of reportable pathogens in the blood culture specimen • Suggests no bacteremia or fungemia from the targeted organism panel • Patient's bloodstream is free from the organisms tested on the panel
- Positive Results: Specific organism identification (POSITIVE for [organism name]) • Indicates detection of a specific bacterial, fungal, or yeast pathogen • Results typically include organism name (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli) • May include antimicrobial resistance markers when panel includes genetic resistance testing
- Units of Measurement: Qualitative results (Present/Absent or Detected/Not Detected) • Not a quantitative test with numerical values • Results are reported as presence or absence of specific organisms • Interpretation: Negative = absent; Positive = organism identified
- Clinical Interpretation: • Normal (Negative): No bloodstream infection from tested organisms; clinical symptoms may warrant further investigation if sepsis suspected • Abnormal (Positive): Confirms bloodstream infection; requires clinical correlation and may guide antibiotic therapy • Blood cultures are gold standard for bacteremia diagnosis; positive results are clinically significant
Section 3: Interpretation
- Positive Result Interpretation: • Gram-positive cocci (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus): Suggests skin flora involvement, endocarditis, or systemic infection • Gram-negative rods (e.g., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa): Indicates enteric or environmental infection • Candida species: Fungal bloodstream infection, often in immunocompromised patients • MRSA (Methicillin-resistant S. aureus) detection: Indicates resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics • Each organism has different clinical significance and treatment implications
- Negative Result Interpretation: • No organisms from the panel detected in current blood culture • Does NOT rule out infection (organism may be on extended panel or slow-growing) • May indicate contamination or false positive blood culture • Does not exclude other pathogens not included in the specific panel tested • Clinical judgment and traditional culture should continue in parallel
- Factors Affecting Results: • Blood culture collection technique and timing • Volume of blood collected (minimum typically 5-10 mL per bottle) • Timing of collection relative to fever spikes • Prior antibiotic therapy (may reduce organism detection) • Organism growth rate in culture medium • Contamination during collection or processing • Panel limitations (some organisms may not be included in specific panel) • Organism viability and recovery in transport
- Clinical Significance Patterns: • Single positive culture: Suggests true infection if organism is known pathogen; may be contamination if common skin flora • Repeated positive cultures with same organism: Confirms true bloodstream infection • Multiple different organisms: Suggests contamination or mixed infection • Organism with resistance markers: May require alternative antibiotic selection • Timing of results (within 1 hour): Allows earlier targeted therapy than traditional culture (24-48 hours)
Section 4: Associated Organs
- Primary Organ Systems Involved: • Circulatory/Vascular System: Directly affected by pathogens in blood • Heart: Risk of endocarditis, myocarditis, pericarditis • Immune System: Responsible for response to bloodstream infection • Kidneys: May develop sepsis-related acute kidney injury • Lungs: Risk of sepsis-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) • Liver: May develop septic hepatitis or multi-organ dysfunction
- Medical Conditions Associated with Abnormal Results: • Sepsis and septic shock • Bacterial endocarditis • Acute bacterial meningitis • Osteomyelitis (bone infection) with bacteremia • Infective urinary tract infections with bacteremia • Pneumonia with bacteremia • Intra-abdominal infections • Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) • Nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections • Fungal bloodstream infections (often in immunocompromised patients)
- Diseases Diagnosed or Monitored: • Infective endocarditis: Diagnosis of causative organism • Acute leukemia with fever: Identification of infectious agent • Diabetic infections: Detection of organisms from diabetic wounds entering bloodstream • Post-surgical infections: Identification of causative pathogens • Immunocompromised patient infections: Rapid identification for appropriate therapy • Neonatal sepsis: Early identification in newborns • Community-acquired vs. hospital-acquired infections: Based on organism and epidemiology
- Potential Complications: • Septic shock: Potentially life-threatening circulatory collapse • Multi-organ failure: Secondary to uncontrolled sepsis • Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC): Severe infection complication • Metastatic infection: Spread to other organs (bones, joints, brain) • Septic thrombophlebitis: Infection of veins • Immune dysregulation: Prolonged immune activation • Mortality risk: Varies by organism and patient factors (higher in elderly, immunocompromised) • Delayed recognition increases risk: Rapid identification decreases these risks
Section 5: Follow-up Tests
- Recommended Follow-up Tests: • Traditional blood culture and sensitivity: For antimicrobial susceptibility testing (even though BCID provides rapid identification) • Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST): Determines appropriate antimicrobial therapy • Extended organism panels: If initial panel is negative but clinical suspicion remains high • PCR-based resistance panels: To detect specific resistance genes (MRSA, VRE, carbapenem resistance)
- Further Investigations Based on Results: • Positive result: Echocardiography (TEE/TTE) if endocarditis suspected • Positive result: Imaging studies (CT, MRI, ultrasound) to identify primary infection source • Positive result: Lumbar puncture/CSF analysis if meningitis suspected • Positive result: Repeat blood cultures after antibiotic therapy to confirm clearance • Negative result in septic patient: Additional culture sites (wound, urine, respiratory specimens) • Fungal positive: Antigen testing, galactomannan testing, 1,3-beta-D-glucan assay
- Monitoring Frequency and Duration: • Endocarditis: Repeat blood cultures after 1-2 weeks of therapy to confirm sterilization • Sepsis: Repeat cultures if patient remains febrile after 48-72 hours of appropriate therapy • Catheter-associated infections: Cultures repeated after catheter removal • Recurrent infections: New blood cultures with each new fever episode • Immunocompromised patients: May require more frequent monitoring depending on condition • Duration depends on infection severity and clinical response to therapy
- Related Complementary Tests: • Procalcitonin: Marker of bacterial infection severity • C-reactive protein (CRP): Inflammatory marker • Complete blood count (CBC): Assesses white blood cell response • Lactate level: Marker of tissue hypoxia in sepsis • Blood chemistry (BUN, creatinine): Monitors organ function • Liver function tests: Assesses hepatic involvement • Coagulation studies: Screens for DIC • Serial BCID or other molecular panels: May provide resistance information
Section 6: Fasting Required?
- Fasting Requirement: NO fasting required
- Explanation: The Biofire Blood Panel analyzes blood culture samples for microbial identification. Fasting status does not affect the presence or detection of pathogens in blood cultures. The test is performed on positive blood culture specimens, which can be collected at any time regardless of eating status.
- Special Instructions for Sample Collection: • Draw blood using sterile technique to prevent contamination • Cleanse venipuncture site with antiseptic (typically chlorhexidine or alcohol) • Allow antiseptic to dry completely before collection (prevents false positives from skin flora) • Collect adequate blood volume (typically 5-10 mL per culture bottle) • Inoculate into appropriate aerobic and/or anaerobic culture bottles as needed • Label properly with patient identification and collection time • Transport to laboratory promptly (do not refrigerate blood cultures)
- Medications: • No specific medications need to be withheld • Current antibiotic therapy: Continue as prescribed (though may reduce organism detection if recent initiation) • Antimicrobials should NOT be stopped for blood culture collection (patient safety takes precedence) • Test validity may be compromised if patient already receiving appropriate antibiotics, but clinical decision to draw cultures remains unchanged • Note on lab requisition: Any antibiotics patient is currently receiving
- Patient Preparation Requirements: • No special dietary preparation needed • Patient should be positioned comfortably for venipuncture • Inform patient that blood is being sent to laboratory for culture testing • No restrictions on fluid intake • Test is typically performed during fever episodes or when sepsis is suspected • Timing: Collect during fever if possible (higher yield), but collect as soon as sepsis suspected regardless of fever status • Multiple blood cultures are recommended (typically 2-3 sets from different sites) for better diagnostic accuracy • Document collection time and site on all bottles

How our test process works!