Specimen Requirements

Collect one sterile swab and one eSwab

1. Depress tongue and insert sterile swab and eswab deep into throat, avoiding any contact with tongue and other areas of mouth. (Calcium alginate, cotton-tip, or wooden shafted swab is not acceptable.)
2. Rub swab on back of throat, on tonsils, and in any other area where there is redness, inflammation, or pus.  Bloody specimen can create an interfering background and can cause an invalid result.
3. Place swab in culture transport media (red-top Culturette), making sure specimen is in transport media.
4. Label specimen with patient’s name, date of birth or hospital medical record number, specimen source, date and time of collection, and collector’s initials.
5. Send specimen refrigerated. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  Contraindications to throat culture collection are suspected epiglottitis and recent throat surgery.

Do not collect throat swab specimens immediately after patients have used antiseptic mouthwash.