throat culture

Indications: - pharyngitis - streptococcal pharyngitis - pharyngitis due to other organisms Specimen: 1) swab of posterior pharynx, ulcerations or areas of suspected purulence 2) mnimum volume: 1 swab 3) container: -> sterile culturette or other sterile swab collection system containing a holding medium Notes: 1) normal pharyngeal microflora contains alpha-hemolytic streptococci, saprophytic Neisseria species, diphtheroids, & non-hemolytic Staphylococcus species 2) aerobic culture of throat (routine) includes screening for & identification of beta-hemolytic streptococci 3) organisms considered normal flora, generally identified on request a) Staphylococcus aureus b) Haemophilus influenzae c) Haemophilus parainfluenzae d) Streptococcus pneumoniae 4) special culture request for: a) Neisseria gonorrhoeae b) Corynebacterium diphtheria

Related

normal microbial (endogenous) flora throat

References

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed. Isselbacher et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1994, pg 491