Culture And Sensitivity Aerobic Peritoneal Fluid

This test helps in diagnosing the cause of peritonitis (inflammation of peritoneum) or ascites (accumulation of fluid). Peritoneal fluid is present between the layers of peritoneum. It is a layer that surrounds the abdominal wall. The peritoneal fluid acts as a lubricant in the abdominal cavity. It moistens the outside of the organs and helps in reducing the friction between the organs at the time of digestion and movement. This test is performed on the peritoneal fluid collected by your healthcare provider. If there is a growth of bacteria in the culture, then it may be the reason for the peritonitis or ascites.

What is Peritoneal fluid?

The abdominal cavity is also called as the peritoneum and contains the internal organs of the abdomen. The fluid within the peritoneal cavity is called as the peritoneal fluid. The volume and composition of peritoneal fluid may change due to an imbalance of pressure of liquid between the blood vessels (Cirrhosis, heart failure), pancreatic diseases or disorders, cancers (lung and pancreatic cancers), infections, autoimmune disorders etc.

What are 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.

What is 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.

Why this test is performed?

This test may be recommended to you if you experience unusual fluid build up in the abdomen, tenderness in your abdomen, abdominal bloating, pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, minimal urine output, loss of appetite, tiredness, excessive thirst, fever, chills, 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 in the peritoneal region.

If you get abnormal test results, consult your doctor immediately with your lab test reports.