Question
How long does it usually take to get the results of a blood bacterial culture test in newborns? What situations might be encountered during the process of blood culturing?
Answer
The results of a newborn’s blood bacterial culture test can be available as soon as three days, but it may take up to seven days in some cases. This depends on the quantity and growth rate of the bacteria causing the infection. If the bacteria grow quickly, they may be detectable by the second day, followed by transferring them to a general culture medium. By the third day, the bacteria should grow on the medium, and further bacterial identification and drug sensitivity testing will require an additional day, totaling three days. However, some bacteria may not reach detectable levels until the second day, and others may take about five days to grow. Therefore, the final results may take up to seven days to confirm.