How do culture viral tests works?

Question

Hi doctor,

Culture viral tests are the gold key test to identify if fluid is infectious or not. I would like to know how this test will determine if fluid is infectious if it does not consider the cell-associated virus. I am asking because viral culture uses filtration and centrifugation that take apart cell-associated viruses and only uses cell-free viruses, and the virus can be transmitted by cell-to-cell contact.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thanks for writing to us,

Fluid analysis is used to help diagnose the cause of inflammation in any cavity and or accumulation of fluid in the cavity. To determine the main reason for fluid accumulation, an initial set of tests (fluid protein, albumin, or LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) level, cell count, and appearance of culture) are used to differentiate between the two types of fluid that may be produced.

Cultural sensitivity shows us what organism is causing infectivity in the fluid accumulation, and it does not necessarily mean that every time the fluid is accumulated in the body is infective. Many times it is sterile as well. However, even after the filtration and centrifugation, the causative agent load is great enough to reveal the agent leading to infectivity, apart from bacteria or parasite, or viral load. There are other determining factors that tell us if the fluid is infective or malignant.

So the result of any fluid culture is very accurate.

I hope this helps you.

How do culture viral tests works?

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