CANVAS LABORATORY EXERCISE (FOR SUBMISSION): CULTURE OF

BACTERIA FROM BLOOD

1.     Give the principle involved in the following results indicating a positive blood
culture. (2 pts)

1. Pellicle formation
2. Cotton ball formation

2.     Give at least 3 factors that can affect the blood culture which may lead to a false
(+) or a false (-) result. (3 pts)
Contamination of blood cultures: during the collection process can produce a
significant level of false-positive results, which can have a negative impact on patient
outcome. Contamination can come from a number of sources: the patient’s skin, the
equipment used to take the sample, the hands of the person taking the blood sample, or
the environment.
Under-filled and over-filled bottles: It is important that the bottles are neither
underfilled nor overfilled: underfilling can lead to false negative results as fewer
organisms are present in the sample, while overfilling can inhibit microbial growth
because the ratio of growth medium to blood is comparatively lower.
 drawing blood cultures after the person has received antibiotics: during collection,
it is recommended that blood cultures are drawn before antimicrobial drugs are given
because antimicrobial therapy can cause false negative results thereby inhibiting the
growth of microbes.
Guide questions to answer.
1. What are the salient features of the case?
2. Based on the history and P.E. what are the differential diagnosis. Give your basis for
ruling- in and ruling out the diseases.
3. What diagnostic procedures are you to do to rule each disease? What are the expected results to be
able to rule in or out the disease?
4. How are you going to manage pharmacologically and non-pharmacologically.
5. Discuss the disease based on your diagnosis as to
A. Epidemiology
B. Pathophysiology thru a concept map
C. Clinical manifestation
D. Complications
E. Treatment
6. Give your recommendations as to preventive measures for the disease. Vaccination?