How to test for a viral infection using viral culture tests?

Question

Hello doctor,

I want to know if culture viral tests are the gold standard test to identify if the fluid is infectious or not. So kindly give some insights on 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 separate cell-associated viruses and only uses cell-free viruses, and the virus can be transmitted by cell-to-cell contact.

Kindly suggest.

Answer 1

Hello,

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) is 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, it 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 parasites, or viral load. There are other determining factors that tell us if the fluid is infectious or malignant.

So the result of any fluid culture is very accurate.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.