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Throat swab culture How the Test is Performed:
The back of the throat is swabbed with a sterile cotton swab near the area of the tonsils and placed in a tube of culture medium. A smear of the specimen may be placed on a microscope slide for Gram's stain to provide rapid preliminary information while the culture is being processed. If streptococcal organisms are suspected from Gram's stain, a direct fluorescent antibody test can be done to confirm the results immediately. Other less common organisms may take much longer to identify by culture. Care is taken not to touch the inside of the mouth, tongue, or teeth while swabbing the throat to avoid contamination. Sometimes more than one swab will be taken.
How to Prepare:
Tilt your head back with your mouth wide open. Resist gagging and closing the mouth while the swab touches the back of the throat near the tonsils. Inform the health care provider if you have an allergy to any medications, particularly antibiotics. Do not use antiseptic mouthwashes before the test.
Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experience, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:
How it Feels:
Your throat may be sore at the time the test is taken. There may be a gagging sensation when the back of your throat is touched with the swab, but the test only lasts 1 to 2 seconds. The test may cause a gagging sensation.
Risks:
There are no risks associated with the test.
Why this Test is Performed:
The test is performed when an upper respiratory or throat infection is suspected, particularly " strep throat ".
Normal Values:
The presence of normal bacteria of the throat is normal.
Abnormal Results:
The report may indicate the presence of organisms that can cause infection such as group A beta-hemolytic streptococci, which causes strep throat and pharyngitis , and rarely, diphtheria or pertussis ( whooping cough ). The culture may also show Candida (thrush), gonorrhea , influenza , or other organisms.
Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
Cost:
The estimated cost is $35.
Special Considerations:
Antibiotics may be prescribed before the results of the culture are known. Take antibiotics as prescribed even when symptoms have disappeared.
This throat is fiery red (erythematous) and represents the early appearance of streptococcal pharyngitis. Other throat infections can cause a similar appearance and it is difficult to differentiate strep from other causes by simply looking at the throat. A culture should be analyzed to determine the cause of severe throat irritation. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
A cross-section illustration of the mouth, nasal cavity, and throat. The nasal passages are also visible.
Streptococcus bacteria has caused the fiery red color and whitish "exudate" (drainage) associated with strep throat. The child's right tonsil is infected (left side of the picture). (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
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