Throat swab culture

• Alternative Names

  Throat culture and sensitivity; Culture - throat

• How the test is performed

  You will be asked to tilt your head back and open your mouth wide. The health care provider rubs a sterile cotton swab along the back of your throat near the tonsils. You need to resist gagging and closing the mouth while the swab touches this area.

  The health care provider may need to scrape the back of the throat with the swab several times. This helps improve the chances of detecting bacteria.

• How to prepare for the test

  Do not use antiseptic mouthwashes before the test.

• How the test will feel

  Your throat may be sore at the time the test is taken. You may experience a gagging sensation when the back of your throat is touched with the swab, but the test only lasts a few seconds.

• Why the test is performed

  The test is performed when a throat infection is suspected, particularly strep throat. A throat culture can also help your doctor determine which antibiotics will work best for you.

• Normal Values

  The presence of the usual mouth and throat bacteria is a normal finding.

• What abnormal results mean

  An abnormal result means bacteria or other organism is present. This is usually a sign of infection.

• What the risks are

  This test is safe and well-tolerated. In very few patients, the sensation of gagging may lead to an urge to vomit or cough.

Review Date: 9/3/2008

Reviewed By: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University.  Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.