Stool samples are cultured in the laboratory to isolate bacteria, fungi, or parasites responsible for gastrointestinal infections.

Once organisms are identified, antibiotic sensitivity testing is performed to determine effective treatment options.

Clinical uses include:

Diagnosing bacterial gastroenteritis, dysentery, and foodborne infections.

Identifying causative organisms such as Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, Campylobacter, and Vibrio cholerae.

Detecting antibiotic resistance patterns to guide therapy.

Monitoring recurrent or chronic gastrointestinal infections.

Provides definitive microbiological evidence for infection management in gastroenterology.

Analyte: Microorganisms present in stool samples.

Normal Result: No pathogenic growth (normal gut flora only).

Abnormal Findings:

Positive culture: Indicates infection by pathogenic organisms.

Sensitivity profile: Identifies antibiotics effective against the isolated organism.

Clinical Use:

Provides a direct microbiological diagnosis of gastrointestinal infections.

Helps guide precise antimicrobial therapy.

Supports gastroenterology, infectious disease, pediatrics, and internal medicine evaluations.