Screening cultures
Encyclopedia
Screening culture is a type a medical test
that is done to find an infection
. Screening cultures are often performed to find infections that do not have signs
and symptoms.
from the spread of Group B Streptococcus
from the vagina
of a colonized woman who is typically asymptomatic. Medical studies show that prenatal screening cultures reduce the incidence of Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. Studies of single institutions or health maintenance organization
s show institutions with a culture-based screening policy have close to 90% of delivering women with documented GBS screening, and close to 90% of GBS-positive women received intrapartum antibiotics. Cost-effectiveness analyses of the screening- and risk-based strategies have indicated that although the initial costs associated with specimen collection and processing make the screening strategy more expensive than the risk-based approach, the overall cost savings due to disease prevention do not differ importantly between strategies.
Intensive care units of major hospitals routinely provide nasal, groin or axilla swabs for screening of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)or Multi-resistant organisms (MRO).
Medical test
A diagnostic test is any kind of medical test performed to aid in the diagnosis or detection of disease. For example:* to diagnose diseases, and preferably sub-classify it regarding, for example, severity and treatability...
that is done to find an infection
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
. Screening cultures are often performed to find infections that do not have signs
Signs
Signs is the plural of sign. See sign .Signs may also refer to:*Signs , a 2002 film by M. Night Shyamalan*Signs , a journal of women's studies...
and symptoms.
Types of screening cultures
Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Disease comes from an intrauterine infection of the fetusFetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
from the spread of Group B Streptococcus
Group B Streptococcus
Infection with Group B Streptococcus , also known as 'Streptococcus agalactiae' and more colloquially as Strep B and group B Strep, can cause serious illness and sometimes death, especially in newborn infants, the elderly, and patients with compromised immune systems...
from the vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
of a colonized woman who is typically asymptomatic. Medical studies show that prenatal screening cultures reduce the incidence of Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. Studies of single institutions or health maintenance organization
Health maintenance organization
A health maintenance organization is an organization that provides managed care for health insurance contracts in the United States as a liaison with health care providers...
s show institutions with a culture-based screening policy have close to 90% of delivering women with documented GBS screening, and close to 90% of GBS-positive women received intrapartum antibiotics. Cost-effectiveness analyses of the screening- and risk-based strategies have indicated that although the initial costs associated with specimen collection and processing make the screening strategy more expensive than the risk-based approach, the overall cost savings due to disease prevention do not differ importantly between strategies.
Intensive care units of major hospitals routinely provide nasal, groin or axilla swabs for screening of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)or Multi-resistant organisms (MRO).
External links
- Prevention of Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Disease Revised Guidelines from CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report August 16, 2002. 51(RR11);1-22.