Can culture and sensitivity tests be performed at any point during antimicrobial therapy?

The assertion is that culture and sensitivity tests cannot be effectively performed at any point during antimicrobial therapy because the presence of antibiotics in the system can skew the results, potentially for both the culture and sensitivity components.

When a patient is already receiving antimicrobial therapy, the antibiotics can suppress the growth of the bacteria that the test is meant to detect, leading to false-negative results. Therefore, it is essential to collect these samples before initiating or at least prior to adjusting antimicrobial treatment. This way, the laboratory can accurately identify the pathogens present in the patient and test which antibiotics are effective against them.

In summary, performing culture and sensitivity tests after the commencement of antimicrobial therapy may not yield reliable information, making it crucial to conduct these tests as a preliminary step in the treatment process.