Special Collections
 
Blood Cultures
 
Blood cultures are often collected from patients who have a fever of unknown origin (FUO).  Bacteremia (presence of bacteria in the blood) or septicemia (presence of pathogens in the  circulating bloodstream) sometimes called blood poisoning can occur. While collecting blood  cultures, extra steps must be taken to avoid contamination of the site. After the culture is  obtained the blood is put on a specialized dish to see if any bacteria should grow, this is known as  a culture. The lab will then identify what type of bacteria is growing so that the doctors know  which antibiotics will treat their patients. Large amounts of blood are needed for a blood culture,  so venipuncture is always the best method.