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Throat Swab (C&S)

Throat Swab (C&S)

Code:
THROAT_SW

Sample Type:

Amies Agar Gel Transport Swab (Blue top)

Send to laboratory as quickly as possible. If delays likely, refrigerate at 2 to 10 °C

Ref Ranges/Units:

N/A

Turnaround:

1 – 2 days.
This can be extended to 5 days depending on clinical information.

Special Precautions/Comments:

N.B. Please refer to the Diphtheria Culture test page if diphtheria (Corynebacterium diphtheriae) is suspected. Please be aware that turnaround times for these samples will be extended.

Interferences: Antibiotics may affect growth of certain bacteria.

Method: Culture on selective media. Length of anaerobic culture will be based on provided clinical detail. Isolates will be identified where clear. Where identification is not clear a likely/possible identity will be given until additional tests can be performed to confirm identity. Significant isolates will undergo antibiotic susceptibility testing. Calibration: N/A. EQA scheme: NEQAS EQA scheme. IQC: Regular resubmission of anonymised patient samples.

Interpretation: Negative cultures will be reported as No growth. Mixed culture and typical/expected airway flora will be reported as No bacterial pathogens isolated, these samples will not receive further identification and testing. Significant organisms will be identified and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Unusual/unexpected results may be sent to a reference laboratory (turnaround 7-10 days). Clinical comment will be provided where appropriate.

Additional Information:

Background information: Upper respiratory tract infections are classified according to the type of inflammation they cause. As with many infections, the primary challenge in these conditions lies in identifying the causative pathogen and determining the extent of disease progression. There are several types of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and they are as follows:

Pharyngitis (also known as sore throat)
Tonsillitis (including Quinsy/peritonsillar abscess)
Epiglottitis
Laryngitis

Throat swabs may aid in the identity of bacterial carriage. Screening contacts (close family members, partners, etc.) can help identify associated risk for a susceptible person(s). Throat swabs may be an aid in the diagnosis meningococcal meningitis (Neisseria meningitidis). This can be isolated from a throat swab in about half the cases of invasive meningococcal disease. Further to this, throat swabs may be useful in the investigation of carriage pertaining to Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Yersinia enterocolitica.