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Why are blood cultures taken?. To CONFIRM or RULE OUT diagnosis ofSEPSIS. Sepsis.
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1. Blood Cultures Catherine Price, BSc, LIBMS
Biomedical Scientist
Microbiology Department
Royal Gwent Hospital
Wales, UK
2. Why are blood cultures taken? To CONFIRM or RULE OUT diagnosis of
SEPSIS
3. Sepsis “Septicaemia” or “Blood poisoning”
Life threatening condition
Medical emergency
4. SIRS + presence of multiplying bacteria / yeast in blood
= SEPSIS
Diagnosis of Sepsis
5. Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) Acute inflammation throughout entire body
2 or more of the following symptoms:
Body temperature: <36ºC (97ºF) or >38ºC (100ºF) (chills or fever)
WBC count: <4 x 109 cells/L or >12 x 109 cells/L
Rapid heart beat: >90 beats per minute
Rapid breathing rate: >20 breaths per minute
6. Sepsis SIRS and presence of multiplying bacteria /yeast in bloodstream Nutrients consumed Oxygen used up Toxins released - tissue damage, organ failure, septic shock Patient will develop: chills, fever, decreased urine output, confusion, low blood pressure, collapse