Bacterial Culture, aerobic culture only - Throat

Acceptable specimen: throat or pharynx swab.

Culture will be performed on request for: 

• Group A streptococcus treatment failure, or antibiotic failure
• Susceptibility testing
• History of penicillin allergy
• Recurrent pharyngitis
• History of epiglotittis
• Specific organism(s):
• Arcanobacterium species
• Beta hemolytic streptococcus Group C and/or G 
• Yeast (Candida)

Yeast (Candida) requests: submit swab in plain Amies transport media.

Culture will be performed on request for:

• Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or history of sexual abuse
  Swabs MUST be submitted in Amies charcoal transport media.

Culture requests for Staphylococcus aureus or Neisseria meningitidis must be approved by the Microbiologist on Call at 770-3757.

Store specimen at room temperature or 4°C.

Indicate specific culture request on requisition.

Susceptibility testing will only be performed on request or where diagnosis indicates antibiotic or treatment failure.

Turnaround time for negative culture: 2 days.

DO NOT refrigerate specimens for Neisseria meningitidis.

Requests for Corynebacterium diphtheriae are referred to Provincial Laboratory.