During some illnesses, certain infection-causing bacteria and fungi can invade the bloodstream and spread into other parts of the body, away from the original infection site. Their presence in the blood usually means that a child has a serious infection. Such infections usually cause a more rapid heart rate, high fever, and an increase in the white blood cell count.
A blood culture can reveal a number of infections or problems, such as endocarditis, a severe and potentially life-threatening problem that occurs when bacteria in the bloodstream stick to the heart valves.
A blood culture might also detect the organism causing other infections like osteomyelitis, a bone infection often caused by Staphylococcus aureus, andcellulitis, a skin infection that involves areas of tissue just below the skin's surface.
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