Introduction:
Rectal culture is the procedure done for the identification of bacteria or any other microorganism responsible for any condition related to the gastrointestinal tract, like food poisoning or gonorrhea. This is done to confirm the presence of infection and also to identify the type of bacteria or microorganism responsible for its cause. The rectal culture test is suggested by the doctor when the relevant symptoms of infection of the digestive tract are visible. Rectal culture results are highly helpful for the doctor in deciding the type of treatment.
How Is Rectal Culture Performed?
The rectal culture procedure is performed by placing a cotton swab in the rectum, and it is rotated smoothly and taken out. The sample collected is now sent to the laboratory, where the smear on the swab is placed in the culture media. After that, the sample is placed under the microscope to identify the type of germ or bacteria.
Let's have a look at what exactly a culture medium is as it plays a really important role in the process of rectal culture or any other culture. A culture medium is a liquid or gel medium that, under favorable conditions, provides an environment for the microorganism to grow and multiply with the required essential nutrients and minerals in the laboratory setup. The culture of microorganisms is important for a lot of reasons, like the identification of microbial species, diagnosis of infectious diseases, development of serological assays for vaccines, genetic studies, and also for obtaining antigens.
Why Is Rectal Culture Performed?
There could be multiple reasons why rectal culture is performed, like:
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When the doctor suspects infection of the rectum or gastrointestinal tract after witnessing the symptoms like gonorrhea. Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria, and one of the symptoms of this disease is rectal bleeding.
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When a person is hospitalized for any surgical procedure, they are screened for antibiotic-resistant organisms. This screening involves the procedure that requires samples from the nose and rectum, and hence rectal culture is required.
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It is also done to check for vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) in the intestine of the patients getting admitted to hospitals or nursing homes, as this microorganism has the capability of spreading to other people.
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Rectal culture is also indicated in cases where fecal culture is not possible or getting feces samples is not possible.
What Are the Results of Rectal Culture?
Finding the normal range of microorganisms that are commonly present in the digestive tract is considered a normal result, indicating the absence of any kind of infection. Abnormal results indicate the presence of infection. The infection can be:
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Enterocolitis - It is the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract caused by parasites, fungi, bacteria, viruses, or other causes. It also involves enteritis of the small intestine and colitis of the large intestine.
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Bacterial Infections - Infections of the gastrointestinal tract are caused by bacteria such as E.coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Clostridium, and Campylobacter.
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Gonorrhea - Already explained in the previous section.
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Helicobacter Pylori Infection - H. pylori is a bacteria that infects the gastrointestinal tract. It causes inflammation and painful sores in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
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Proctitis - It is the inflammation and infection of the lining of the rectum.
There are results that show that the patient does not have an infection but is a carrier.
Conclusion:
Rectal culture is a safe test done for the identification of microorganisms responsible for the infection. Sample collection for rectal culture can be done by a professional or can be done at home using the safe kits available. It is usually a painless procedure, but there may be pressure as the swab is inserted into the rectum. It is a safe procedure, and there is no risk to the health of the patient.
