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A throat swab is a test that can help diagnose the type of pathogen causing an infection in a patient. However, the disease state of the upper respiratory tract is not always an indication for a throat swab. When should I have a throat swab and how should I prepare for the test? How is the test done and how quickly can results be expected?
What is a throat swab?
A throat swab is a laboratory test. In this test, a piece of material is collected from the throat wall and tonsils with the help of appropriate tools. A throat swab is a type of diagnosis that a doctor can use to identify the type of infection a patient has. The list of pathogens attacking the human throat is very long and includes viruses, bacteria and fungi. It is worth mentioning that the pharyngeal mucosa is not a sterile surface and various bacteria are constantly present in its space. Therefore, it is useless to perform a throat swab only for preventive purposes. Specific indications are needed to perform a throat swab, and the examination is usually referred by a doctor who diagnoses the patient’s condition. Your primary care physician may order a throat swab if you suspect purulent strep throat. Patients for whom it is difficult to say whether a viral or bacterial infection has occurred are also referred for a throat swab. In this case, the pharyngeal swab is the basis for diagnosis, further treatment and selection of pharmaceuticals.
What should you know about swabs? Read: Swabs – what are they and when to do them?
Throat swab – indications for the examination
A throat swab is a test that is done for specific reasons. Most often, the youngest patients are sent for this examination, because they are the ones who struggle with diseases of the upper respiratory system much more often. The primary care physician orders a throat swab, especially in the case of suspected pyogenic streptococcal infection, which causes purulent angina. The indications for a throat swab also include:
- suspected H. influenzae infection which causes respiratory infections as well as meningitis;
- moraxella catharralis infection, which are responsible for recurrent inflammations of the respiratory tract and middle ear, and meningitis;
- suspected infection with coryneform diphtheria, which causes diphtheria in the human body;
- Staphylococcus aureus infection, which causes purulent infections of the skin, subcutaneous tissues, soft tissues, as well as pneumonia or inflammation of the heart muscle;
- pneumococcal infection, which causes meningitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, and peritonitis;
- diagnostics for infection with other bacteria, not mentioned above. Then, the material is collected for the culture and culture of bacteria such as staphylococcus or Chlamydia.
A throat swab is the most common test for bacterial pharyngitis accompanied by high fever, enlarged lymph nodes, and tonsil exudate.
Do you want to know more about angina? Check: Angina – symptoms, treatment, complications
Throat swab – preparation for examination
A throat swab is an examination that needs to be properly prepared for. As in everyday life, proper oral hygiene is a standard, so before swabbing the throat, you should refrain from brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth. This is due to the fact that toothpaste or mouthwash contain substances that fight various bacteria and viruses. Performing testing after taking these measures may result in falsified results. Additionally, you should have an empty stomach for your throat swab. Consuming a meal or drinking a sweet drink may significantly affect the bacterial flora of the throat, which will not have a positive effect on the test result. If the patient has already eaten a meal on the day, wait at least 3 hours before taking a throat swab. It should also be noted that before taking a throat swab, you should not chew gum, suck any lozenges or tablets for a sore throat. It is also important that the throat swab should be done before the first dose of antibiotic is given. If the patient abandons these preparations, there is a high probability that the test result will not be reliable.
What can a sore throat cause? Check it out: Sore throat
Throat swab – the course of the examination
The most common concern of patients about having a throat swab is pain when collecting mucosa and tonsil material. The test itself is not painful, but it is also not comfortable for the patient. Operating a swab in the area of the tonsils causes a gag reflex in many patients. This is another argument for coming to this type of examination on an empty stomach or a few hours after a meal. A throat swab is usually performed by a doctor, but is not uncommon by a nurse at a collection point. The course of the test is very simple and the test itself only takes a few minutes. The patient sits comfortably on the chair and opens his mouth wide. For young children who do not want to cooperate, the doctor may use a wooden ENT spatula. In the next step, the doctor uses a sterile swab tipped with a cotton swab to vigorously rub the surfaces of both tonsils and the back wall of the throat. The material collected in this way is placed in a sterile test tube, signed and sent to the laboratory. The physician should not touch the surface of the mouth when collecting the material from the throat, as this may result in false results.
How Can I Deal With A Sore Throat? Read: What about a sore throat? It all depends on the cause
Throat swab – waiting time for results
The waiting time for the results of a throat swab depends on the type of test. For example, in the case of rapid diagnostic tests involving streptococcal or influenza virus infection, the result is obtained a few minutes after the test. In such a situation, the doctor can immediately make a diagnosis and suggest further treatment. However, in the case of a standard throat swab, the material collected from the mucosa is sent to the laboratory, where it is subjected to more detailed analysis. If no microorganisms are found in the collected material, the result will be available within a few days. In this case, the patient will be informed that the saprophytic flora typical of the pharynx and mouth has been grown in the throat swab. However, if the person performing the diagnostics determines the presence of microorganisms, it will take about a week for the final test results. During this time, an antibiogram will be made in the laboratory, which will help the doctor choose the appropriate antibiotic therapy.
Find out more about the antibiogram. Read: Antibiogram
Throat swab – interpretation of results
The throat swab can be positive or negative. A bacterial infection is present in the case of a positive throat swab result. Then it turns out that further treatment with an appropriately selected antibiotic turns out to be necessary. It is worth mentioning that you can get false-positive results with a throat swab. They are usually obtained when S.pyogenes is carried. It is not uncommon to find false negative results as well. They are a consequence of an incorrectly performed examination. Usually, this is the case where the test was performed after eating, drinking or brushing your teeth. The use of antibiotics, which inhibit the growth of bacteria, may also be the cause of a false-negative result.
Read more about resistant bacteria: Resistant bacteria grow more and more dangerous
How much does a throat swab cost?
Throat swab is a test that can be performed free of charge, as it is part of the health care clinic’s service package. Therefore, in order to perform this test, you should receive an appropriate referral from the attending physician. Throat swab can also be done privately, so you won’t need a referral from your GP. The price of the test depends on the place where the throat swab is performed. On average, you should pay about 20-40 zlotys for a throat swab.
What is worth knowing about basic research? Check: Basic profile – what tests will assess general health?
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