Understanding Your Diagnostic Test: A Patient's Guide to What It Is, Why It Is Done, and What to Expect
This test identifies and grows bacteria from a deep wound sample to determine what type of infection is present.
{"A sample is collected from the deep part of your wound","The sample is sent to a lab to grow and identify bacteria","Results help doctors choose the right antibiotic treatment","The test usually takes 2-5 days for results","This is different from a surface wound culture"}
Key facts at a glance
- LOINC
- 17910-1
- Short code
- BCWD2
- Synonyms
- Bacteria Deep Wnd Aerobe Cult org #2
- Category
- chemistry
- Sample
- serum
- Container
- Sterile, leak-proof container without preservative; sterile swab in Amies or Stuart transport medium (for swab specimens); or sterile screw-capped tube/container for tissue or aspirate specimens. Anaerobic transport system if anaerobic cultures are also ordered.
- Units
- N/A
- Fasting
- false
- Population
- adult
- Sex
- all
- Age range
- 0–120 years
- Method
- aerobic-culture
- CPT
- 87077
- SNOMED
- 43401000
- Specimen volume
- Deep wound aspirate: 1-5 mL of fluid preferred; Tissue biopsy: minimum 0.5-1 cm³ of viable tissue from wound margin/base; Swab: one or two swabs from deep tissue, not surface exudate.
- Stability
- Transport to laboratory within 2 hours at room temperature for optimal organism viability. If delay anticipated: refrigerate at 2-8°C and process within 24 hours. Specimens in Amies/Stuart transport medium are stable at room temperature for up to 24-48 hours per manufacturer specifications.
- Hemolysis max
- 500
- Lipemia max
- 1000
- Icterus max
- 500
- TAT
- 24–168 hours
- Order
- routine
This test is a diagnostic procedure used to gather important information about your health. Your healthcare provider may order it to help identify the cause of symptoms, confirm a suspected condition, or establish baseline values for future comparison. It is a routine part of modern medical care and is performed according to established clinical and safety standards.
A wound culture is a laboratory test that helps identify the specific type of bacteria causing an infection in a deep wound. Your healthcare provider will take a sample from the deeper layers of your wound using a swab or tissue collection tool. This sample is then sent to a laboratory where scientists try to grow (culture) the bacteria and identify what type it is.
Your doctor may order this test to diagnose a medical condition, monitor an ongoing illness, or evaluate how well a current treatment is working. The results can help confirm or rule out certain health problems, guide decisions about additional testing, and support the development of a personalized care plan suited to your individual needs.
This test is performed when you have a deep or serious wound that shows signs of infection, such as increased pain, redness, swelling, pus, or fever. By identifying the exact bacteria causing the infection, doctors can prescribe the most effective antibiotic to treat your specific infection. This is called targeted treatment, and it helps ensure the infection is properly treated while avoiding unnecessary use of antibiotics.
During the test, a trained member of your care team will explain each step and answer any questions you may have before starting. Depending on the type of test, a small sample may be collected or a simple measurement may be taken. The procedure is generally quick and well tolerated, and most patients can return to their normal activities right away.
First, your healthcare provider will clean the wound area. Then, they will take a sample from the deepest part of the wound using a sterile swab or collection tool. This may cause some brief discomfort. The sample is placed in a special container and sent to a laboratory. In the lab, the sample is placed in conditions that allow bacteria to grow. Once bacteria grow, scientists can identify what type they are through various tests.
The time it takes to receive your results depends on the type of test performed and the laboratory that analyzes it. Some results are ready within a few hours, while others may take several days to process. Once your results are available, your healthcare provider will review them with you, explain what they mean, and discuss any recommended next steps.
Bacterial culture results typically take 2-5 days. Some bacteria grow quickly and can be identified in 2 days, while others need more time. If no bacteria grow after 5 days, the result may be negative. Your healthcare provider will discuss the results with you and determine the best treatment plan based on the findings.
Reference range
No growth of pathogenic bacteria (results reported as organism identification with colony count estimation). Normal/expected results vary by wound type and clinical context; commensal skin flora may be reported as such without clinical significance.N/A
No special patient preparation required. The collection site should be cleaned and debrided of surface exudate prior to specimen collection. Deep wound specimens should be obtained from viable tissue at the base or margin of the wound, ideally before initiation of antibiotic therapy or just before the next antibiotic dose if therapy has already commenced.
Clinical interpretation
How abnormal results are interpreted and what conditions they suggest.
This test is clinically significant because it identifies the specific bacteria causing a wound infection, enabling healthcare providers to prescribe targeted antibiotic therapy. Deep wound infections can lead to serious complications if not properly treated, including tissue damage, sepsis, or spread of infection to nearby areas. This culture helps distinguish between different types of bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, or other organisms, each requiring different treatment approaches. The results also help determine whether an infection is resistant to certain antibiotics, guiding more effective treatment decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Does a positive result always mean I have an infection?
Will the test be painful?
What if no bacteria grow in the culture?
Do I need to do anything special before the test?
Sources
- 1
- 2
- 3
Click any link to access the full source. PubMed Central (PMC) links provide free full-text access.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed August 16, 2026. · Read our editorial policy