General culture

A general culture, sometimes referred to as a stool culture, is a laboratory test conducted on a stool sample to identify and isolate pathogenic microorganisms present in the gastrointestinal tract. This diagnostic procedure helps to detect bacteria, fungi, or parasites that may be responsible for various digestive disturbances or systemic infections. The process involves culturing the sample on specialized media, which allows for the growth and identification of different microbial species. This method provides objective evidence of the microbial composition in the gut beyond commensal flora.