| Ordering Code | 616 |
|---|---|
| Test Name | Throat Culture |
| Preferred Specimen | Throat swab |
| Preferred Container | Eswab |
| Other Specimen/Container | Other Bacterial Transport Collectors (e.g. Culturette) |
| Optimum Volume | 2 Swabs |
| Collection Instructions | The swab should be taken from the tonsillar area, and/or posterior pharynx. Care should be given to avoid the tongue and uvula. |
| Handling Instructions | Place the swab immediately in the bacteriostatic media to prevent drying. |
| Transport Requirements | Oahu: Ambient Airline: Ambient |
| Specimen Stability | Ambient: 2 Days Refrigerated: 2 Days |
| Rejection Criteria | Dry cotton swab, Frozen, Specimen older than stability limits |
| Avail. Stat | NO |
| Analytic Time | Up to 2 Days Depending on extent of growth and degree of difficulty with identification, turn-around-time may extend to 3 days. |
| Methodology | Visual examination of bacterial growth on agar medium and identification of beta-hemolytic streptococci such as groups A, B, C & G or Arcanobacterium haemolyticum Specify special circumstances (e.g. epiglottitis peritonsillar abscess, oral thrush, Lemierre's syndrome) or specific pathogens (e.g. Haemophilus influenzae, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida species, or Moraxella catarrhalis) on the requisition if the culture is for purposes other than bacterial pharyngitis Testing for Group A beta-hemolytic strep (Streptococcus pyogenes) alone is available as a Strep A Nucleic Acid Test (order code 5824). |
