Lab

Stool Culture

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Stool Culture

  • Indications
  1. Replaced by Enteric Pathogens Nucleic Acid Test Panels
  2. Older indications
    1. Toxic appearance
    2. Prolonged Diarrhea >4-7 days
    3. Blood or pus in stool (or other signs of Inflammatory Diarrhea)
    4. Immunocompromised patients
    5. Very young or very old patients
  • Efficacy
  1. Test Sensitivity: 5% at best for Bacterial cause identification
  2. Replaced by Enteric Pathogens Nucleic Acid Test Panels
  • Components
  • Bacteria typically included in test (SSCE)
  1. Salmonella
  2. Shigella
  3. Campylobacter
  4. Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (STEC: Shiga Toxin E coli)
    1. Shiga Toxin (if bloody stool)
    2. Avoid Antimicrobial Agents
  • Disadvantages
  1. Very expensive
  2. Low Test Sensitivity (see above)
  3. Typically does not alter management (most Diarrhea is not treated with Antibiotics)