Throat culture

A throat culture is a test to nd germs (such as bacteria or a fungus) that can cause an infection.
A sample of cells from the back of your throat is added to a substance that promotes the growth
of germs. If no germs grow, the culture is negative. If germs that can cause infection grow, the
culture is positive. The type of germ may be identi ed using a microscope or chemical tests.
Sometimes other tests are done to nd the right medicine for treating the infection. This is called
sensitivity testing.
Examples of infections that may be found during a throat culture include:
1-Candida albicans.
This fungus causes thrush, an infection of the mouth and tongue and sometimes of the throat.
Group A streptococcus.
This type of bacteria can cause strep throat, scarlet fever, and rheumatic fever. If strep throat is
likely, a test called a rapid strep test (or quick strep) may be done before a throat culture. With a
rapid strep test, results are ready in 10 minutes instead of 1 to 2 days with a throat culture. If the
rapid strep test results are positive, antibiotics can be started right away. A throat culture is more
accurate than the rapid strep test. The rapid strep test can give false-negative results even when
strep bacteria are present. When the results of a rapid strep test are negative, many doctors
recommend doing a throat culture to make sure that strep throat is not present.
2-Neisseria meningitidis.
This type of bacteria can cause meningitis.
If bacteria grow in the culture, other tests may be done to check which antibiotic will treat the
infection best. This is called susceptibility or sensitivity testing.
Most sore throats are caused by an infection with a virus, such as a cold or u. Throat cultures
aren't done for viral infections. That's because it's very hard to grow viruses, and it's expensive.

Sputum culture
sputum culture is a test that checks for bacteria or another type of organism that may be causing
an infection in your lungs or the airways leading to the lungs. Sputum, also known as phlegm, is a
thick type of mucus made in your lungs. If you have an infection or chronic illness a ecting the
lungs or airways, it can make you cough up sputum.

Sputum is not the same as spit or saliva. Sputum contains cells from the immune system that
help ght the bacteria, fungi, or other foreign substances in your lungs or airways. The thickness
of sputum helps trap the foreign material. This allows cilia (tiny hairs) in the airways to push it
through the mouth and be coughed out.

Sputum can be one of several di erent colors. The colors can help identify the type of infection
you may have or if a chronic illness has become worse:

Clear. This usually means no disease is present, but large amounts of clear sputum may be a sign
of lung disease.
White or gray. This may also be normal, but increased amounts may mean lung disease.
Dark yellow or green. This often means a bacterial infection, such as pneumonia. Yellowish-green
sputum is also common in people with cystic brosis. Cystic brosis is an inherited disease that
causes mucus to build up in the lungs and other organs.
Brown. This often shows up in people who smoke. It is also a common sign of black lung disease.
Black lung disease is a serious condition that can happen if you have long-term exposure to coal
dust.
Pink. This may be a sign of pulmonary edema, a condition in which excess uid builds up in the
lungs. Pulmonary edema is common in people with congestive heart failure.
Red. This may be an early sign of lung cancer. It may also be a sign of a pulmonary embolism, a
life-threatening condition in which a blood clot from a leg or other part of the body breaks loose
and travels to the lungs. If you are coughing up red or bloody sputum, call 911 or seek immediate
medical attention.

Stool culture
The stool culture is a test that detects and identi es bacteria that cause infections of the lower
digestive tract. The test distinguishes between the types of bacteria that cause disease
(pathogenic) and the types that are normally found in the digestive tract (normal ora). The test
helps to determine if pathogenic bacteria are the cause of a person’s gastrointestinal symptoms
(gastroenteritis).

The bacteria found in stool are representative of the bacteria that are present in the digestive
system (gastrointestinal tract). Certain bacteria and fungi called normal ora inhabit everyone’s
gastrointestinal tract. They play an important role in the digestion of food and their presence
keeps a check on the growth of disease-causing bacteria.

Sometimes, the balance of the normal ora may be a ected by the administration of broad-
spectrum antibiotics; the drugs inhibit the growth of normal ora and allow the bacteria
Clostridium di cile that is resistant to the antibiotics to survive and overgrow the digestive tract,
leading to symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Pathogenic bacteria can enter and infect the digestive tract when someone eats food or drinks
water that is contaminated. Examples of contaminated sources include raw or undercooked eggs,
poultry or beef, unpasteurized milk, and untreated water from lakes, streams, and (occasionally)
from community water supplies.

People who travel outside the U.S., especially to developing nations, may face a greater risk of
being exposed to disease-causing bacteria. Some of these bacteria may be true pathogens while
others are strains of gastrointestinal bacteria that are normal ora for the local inhabitants but
cause gastrointestinal distress to the tourist. Visitors may become infected by eating or drinking
anything that has been contaminated with the bacteria, even things as simple as tap water, ice
cubes in a drink, a fresh salad, or food from a vendor’s stall.

The most common symptoms of a pathogenic bacterial infection are prolonged diarrhea, bloody
diarrhea, mucus in the stool, abdominal pain and cramping, and nausea. If diarrhea lasts more
than a few days, it may lead to complications such as dehydration and electrolyte imbalance,
which can be dangerous conditions, especially for children and the elderly. Dehydration can cause
symptoms such as dry skin, fatigue, and light-headedness.

Severely a ected people may require hospitalization to replace lost uids and electrolytes.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a serious complication characterized by the destruction of red
blood cells and kidney failure that may occasionally arise from an infection with a toxin-producing
strain of the bacteria Escherichia coli. The condition is most frequently seen in children, the
elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
Urine culture
Urine is one of the body’s waste products. It is produced in the kidneys and collected in the
bladder until a person urinates. Urine in the bladder is normally sterile (containing no organisms),
however, if bacteria or yeasts are introduced into the urinary tract, they can multiply and casue a
urinary tract infection (called a UTI). Bacteria are usally present around the opening of the urethra
(the tube that leads from the bladder to the outside of the body). Urine collection for culture
(MCS) must be performed carefully in order to avoid contaminating the sample with these
bacteria.

Because urine itself can serve as a culture medium, any bacteria present, including contaminating
microorganisms, will multiply rapidly if the urine sample is allowed to stand at room temperature.
For this reason, urine samples should be refrigerated (at about 4°C) after collection and
transported to the laboratory as soon as possible.