Bacterial culture is the process of culturing or growing bacteria in a laboratory. A swab of secretions (e.g. from the vagina or mouth) is placed in a solution which helps specific types of bacteria to grow. For example, if the bacteria are being cultured to identify whether or not vaginal secretions contain Chlamydia trachomatis, the secretions will be grown in a solution that is conducive to the growth of Chlamydia. If there are bacteria present in the secretions, then they will multiply and can be identified by microscopic examination. Bacterial culture is used in the diagnosis of some diseases.
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