Your patient has a rash, a fever, and a very high white blood cell count. Blood specimens are taken, put into culture bottles, and sent down to the microbiology lab for incubation and analysis. Select the statement that best reflects why microbial analysis of blood is an important step in patient diagnosis.

A. A few bacterial cells in a blood sample are no big deal and should be ignored.

B. Blood specimens are often obtained through poor aseptic technique by the healthcare worker: this is documentation of their failure to employ proper universal precautions.

C. Microbial growth in blood samples may indicate sepsis.

D. A lack of microbes in the blood means that the patient’s health is critical.