The patient does not need to avoid food or fluids before the test. Recent gargling or treatment with antibiotics, however, will affect the culture results. The laboratory should be notified if the patient has been recently taking antibiotic medications.
The patient may be given a mild sedative before the procedure, and an anesthetic is sprayed into the back of the throat in order to suppress the gag reflex.
go get a throat culture
A throat culture is a technique for identifying disease bacteria in material taken from the throat.
No specific aftercare is needed.
It is an attempt to culture (grow) whatever bacteria are living in your throat.
In most cases of upper respiratory tract infections, a throat culture is more appropriate than a nasopharyngeal culture. However, the nasopharyngeal culture should be used in cases where throat cultures are difficult to obtain or to.
what color tube is throat culture and what media plate
back of the throat and tonsils
The primary purpose of a throat culture is identification of the specific organisms that cause strep throat. These organisms are Group A streptococci, specifically Streptococcus pyogenes.
Throat cultures should be taken before the patient is given any antibiotic medications. In addition, the patient's immunization history should be checked to evaluate the possibility that diseases other than strep are causing the sore throat.
Swabbing the back of the throat and tonsils for a culture allows for the collection of bacteria or viruses present in those areas, which can help in diagnosing infections such as strep throat or tonsillitis. It provides valuable information for determining appropriate treatment and can help prevent the spread of contagious infections.
Rapid strep throat test is specific but has got variable sensitivity. You have to go for culture, if rapid strep throat test comes negative, for confirmation of the diagnosis.