Throat Culture

Locations & Services

Health Practitioners and the Laboratory

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Test Catalogue

Bacterial Culture (Routine) Throat/Upper Respiratory

Ordering Recommendations
Refer to Ordering Recommendations for Clinical Microbiology Testing webpage to ensure specimen and requisition requirements are met prior to collection
Specimen Requirements
Type	Throat swab
Container	Preferred Collection Container: Copan ESwab Collection Kit
Collection Procedure	Insert swab into 1 mL transport medium tube and break swab shaft to replace cap
Stability/Storage	Transport at room temperature without delay for optimal organism recovery Store < 48 hours at room temperature if transportation delayed Specimen must be received in laboratory within 48 hours of collection
Grounds for Rejection	Rejection Criteria of Clinical Microbiology Specimens Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Acceptance and Rejection Criteria
Testing Information
Availability	Division of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Hours of Operation
Testing Site	Bacteriology Laboratory, RUH
Results Reporting	Anticipated Reporting Times for Clinical Microbiology Results Critical and Semi-Urgent Values Notification Chart for Clinical Microbiology
Clinical Interpretation	Methodology and Clinical Interpretation for Microbiology Testing
Specimen Retention	Specimen Retention Times for Clinical Microbiology
Alternate Test Names	GAS (Group A Strep) Streptococcus pyogenes Strep throat culture
Test Ordering Requirements
Forms Required	Bacteriology/Mycology/TB/ Parasitology Requisition Form #101063 Community Laboratory Requisition Form #101064

If you choose to print this information, it is valid only on date of print.

Laboratory Controlled Document LSM-893 v2

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 22, 2019 |