Throat Swab Culture

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How is the Test Performed?

The back of the throat is swabbed with a sterile cotton swab near the tonsils. The swab is placed in a tube of culture medium. In order to improve the chances of detecting bacteria, the swab may be used to scrape the back of the throat several times. This test is used primarily to identify strep throat. However, depending on the type of culture medium used, other organisms may be detected.

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