Microbiology
What is microbiology?
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms — specifically, disease-causing microorganisms. Microbiology is responsible for identifying infectious agents in tissue, bone marrow, blood, urine, sputum, feces, cerebrospinal fluid, and other body fluids. Also in any foreign bodies such as catheters or artificial components. The infectious agents are then tested for sensitivity to certain antibiotics used to treat infections.
Microbiology uses various techniques to identify microorganisms, including the following:
Chemical, immunological, and genetic tests
Examination under a microscope
Staining
Microorganisms can include the following:
Bacteria
Fungi
Parasites
Viruses
Common microbiology tests
Tests | Uses |
|---|---|
Blood culture | Can diagnose bacterial infections of the blood |
Burn, tissue, and wound culture | Can identify disease-causing organisms in various tissues |
Sputum culture and/or nasal swab | Can identify upper and lower respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia |
Stool culture | Can identify parasites that cause disease, such as pinworms |
Urine culture | Can identify disease-causing organisms in the kidneys and urinary tract |
Throat swab and/or culture | Often used to diagnose or rule out strep throat |
If the culture identifies an infection, the disease-causing microbe may be tested to determine its sensitivity to antibiotic or antimicrobial drugs. This culture and sensitivity test can help the doctor identify an appropriate medication to treat an infection.
Cultures may take 24 hours to 48 hours for results. Antibiotic susceptibility studies may take another 24 hours to 48 hours.