What does C&S stand for in medical testing?

• A. Central and systemic evaluation
• B. Culture and sensitivity testing
• C. Chemistry and spectroscopy
• D. Complete blood count

Answer: (B)

Culture and Sensitivity testing identifies the organism causing an infection and determines which antibiotics will likely work against it. A patient specimen—such as urine, a wound swab, sputum, or blood—is cultured on growth media to allow the microbe to multiply enough to be identified. Once the organism is known, sensitivity testing assesses its response to various antibiotics, often yielding results like susceptible, intermediate, or resistant. This information helps clinicians choose an effective antibiotic, avoids unnecessary broad-spectrum use, and supports efforts to reduce antibiotic resistance. Some infections don’t require C&S because they’re viral or have a clear clinical diagnosis. The other terms mentioned refer to different laboratory concepts (for example, complete blood count, chemistry, or general systemic evaluation) and aren’t what C&S stands for.