Culture And Sensitivity Aerobic Axillary Swab
What is this test?
The axillary swab may be cultured to test the sensitivity of the bacteria. The goal is to see if there is an aerobic infection present in the axillary region. For this test, a cotton swab is used by your healthcare provider to collect the fluid and sent to the laboratory.
What is axillary?
Axillary is a term used for the armpit region or a corresponding part. During an infection, the pus-like fluid is collected in the armpit region. This condition is called armpit abscess. The symptoms of this condition include redness, irritation, burning sensation, itching, etc.
What are Bacteria, and Aerobic Bacteria?
Bacteria are the single-celled micro-organisms that can live within the soil, in the ocean and also inside the human gut. They have a number of shapes such as spirals, rods, and spheres etc. Some bacteria can cause illness to the human body and some other plays a major role in the overall functioning of our ecosystem.
Aerobic bacteria are the bacteria which can survive in the presence of oxygen only. In the absence of oxygen, aerobic bacteria cannot survive and can die. Some of the aerobic bacteria are Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nocardia, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis etc.
Why this test is performed?
This test may be recommended to you if you experience certain symptoms like redness, irritation, burning sensation, itching, pus formation, etc. This test may be specially performed to check if the infection is due to aerobic bacteria or not. This test is also recommended to plan the treatment according to the type of bacteria. The test is recommended to check the effectiveness of the treatment given.
Also known as C/S Aerobic Axillary swab.
Test Preparation
Inform your doctor if you are on any medications, have any allergies or underlying medical conditions before your Culture And Sensitivity Aerobic Axillary Swab. Your doctor will give specific instructions depending on your condition on how to prepare for Culture And Sensitivity Aerobic Axillary Swab.
No specific preparation is required for this test.
Understanding your test results
The normal test results may vary depending on age, health history, medical condition, etc.
If your test results show negative it means there is no growth of aerobic bacteria.
If your test results show positive it may indicate that you may have aerobic bacterial infection.
If you get abnormal test results, consult your doctor immediately with your lab test reports.
| Gender | Age groups | Value |
| UNISEX | All age groups | The growth depends on the infecting organism. Clearing around the disc indicates organism is sensitive to antibiotic |