A wound culture is a laboratory test that identifies the bacteria causing infection and precisely which antibiotic kills it. Instead of randomly trying antibiotics, we choose the correct one from the start.
How It's Taken:
- Wound is first cleaned with saline to remove surface bacteria.
- Swab taken from the wound bed (not surface) using Levine technique — pressure and rotation.
- Sent to lab in special transport medium.
- Results within 48-72 hours — include bacteria type and antibiotic sensitivity.
When We Need a Culture:
- Clear infection signs: Increasing redness, foul discharge, escalating pain, fever.
- Wound not responding to antibiotic: You took an antibiotic but the wound didn't improve.
- Recurrent infection: Resistant bacteria needing a specific antibiotic.
- Before surgery: To confirm the wound is infection-free.
Important Notes:
- Random surface swabs are inaccurate — technique matters.
- Every wound has bacteria — not all bacteria means infection.
At BEIT TARIQ Center, we take cultures with proper technique and interpret results in the context of the wound condition.