A colonic tissue culture is a laboratory test to check for disease-causing bacteria, fungi, or viruses in a sample of tissue from the large intestine.

Your doctor may order this test if you have signs or symptoms of an infection that can affect the large intestine. A culture is often done when other tests such as a stool culture could not identify the cause of infection.

The doctor removes a piece of tissue from your large intestine during a colonoscopy. For more information on how this procedure is done, see colonoscopy.

The sample is sent to a laboratory where it is placed in a special dish containing a gel on which microoganisms can grow, and stored at a certain temperature. The laboratory team checks the sample daily to see if bacteria, viruses, or fungi have grown.

If certain microorganisms grow, more tests will be done to further identify them. This helps determine the best treatment.

There is no specific preparation needed for a culture. For information on how to prepare for the procedure to remove a piece of tissue from your large intestine, see colonoscopy.

The laboratory culture does not involve the patient, so there is no pain.

For information on how it will feel to have a piece of large intestine tissue removed, see colonoscopy.