Culture And Sensitivity Aerobic Bronchoalveolar Lavage

Bronchoalveolar lavage is a procedure used to collect fluid from the lungs and alveoli which is then cultured to identify and test the sensitivity of the bacteria. The test helps in diagnosing the cause and type of infection. The goal is to see if there is an aerobic infection present in the lungs.

What is bronchoalveolar lavage?

Bronchoalveolar lavage is a diagnostic procedure by which cells and other components from bronchial and alveolar spaces are obtained. The procedure is done by passing a sterile saline solution into the bronchi and lungs with a help of tube (bronchoscope). The fluid is then collected and sent for testing of the type of bacteria.

What are culture and sensitivity testing?

In laboratories, the bacteria are often grown with the help of growth media (nutrient preparation which acts as a source of food for the bacteria). The grown bacteria is observed under a microscope to identify the type of bacteria. The process is called as bacterial culturing. The bacterial culturing is often used in the field of medicine to identify the species of bacteria causing the infection and to know what kind of medicines are effective in killing the bacteria and planning the treatment accordingly.

What are Bacteria, and Aerobic Bacteria:

Bacteria are the single-celled microorganisms 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 have symptoms of lower respiratory tract infections like sneezing, runny nose, cough, stuffy nose, sore throat, headaches, muscle aches, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, chest tightness, wheezing, fever, 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 and to check the effectiveness of the treatment given.

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.