Throat swab is taken to detect pathogenic bacteria. The throat swab also allows you to evaluate the mucosa cells. Throat swab is most often taken in children, but also in adults suffering from persistent throat infections. Check how to prepare for this test.
Throat swabrequires the patient to refrain from eating for at least three hours prior to collection, but preferably in the morning on an empty stomach - both food and fluid flush out the bacteria on the surface of the tonsils and / or the pharyngeal mucosa. Before taking a smear, do not brush your teeth because toothpastes contain antibacterial substances that can destroy the bacterial flora of the throat and affect the test result. If this is not possible, come to the test at least 3-4 hours after your last meal or brushing your teeth. Also, do not use any chewing gums or lozenges.
The tests are not carried out during antibiotic therapy, because the results will be false.
Throat swab: test run
The sample is taken using a swab from the so-called transport medium - a special stick finished with sterilized cotton, cotton wool or blotting paper, which, after taking the sample, is placed in a tightly closed sterile container. This is important because the material cannot be contaminated with "foreign" bacteria, microorganisms not coming from the patient.
During the examination, you need to open your mouth wide. The doctor or nurse presses your tongue downwards with a spatula and, using a sterile swab, vigorously rubs both surfaces of the tonsils and the back of the throat without touching the surface of the mouth. If there are inflamed areas in the throat, a swab must also be taken from those areas.
The swab is not painful, but may feel uncomfortable due to the gag reflex that occurs when sampling material from the back of the throat or tonsils. This is an additional argument for coming to the test on an empty stomach.
Throat swab: Rapid diagnosis of streptococcus
Recently, a simple test is available in pediatric offices that allows you to immediately diagnose whether a child suffers from a bacterial infection caused by a strain of streptococcus A. The doctor rubs the tonsils with a specialwith a spatula, and the result is obtained after several seconds. The test will show the presence of the antigen against purulent streptococcus ( streptoccocus pyogenes ), which is responsible for causing, among others, angina, but also other serious diseases, such as myocarditis and arthritis.
While other bacterial strains are not as dangerous and treatment may be postponed until more accurate culture results are obtained, immediate antibiotic therapy is required for this strain.
If the test does not reveal streptococcus, it can be assumed that the infection is viral and the administration of antibiotics does not make much sense, although sometimes it is used when there is a real risk of bacterial superinfection.
This rapid streptococcal test is designed to help your doctor get the right treatment and avoid having an antibiotic prescribed blindly - not knowing if it will work. Such an action was common in the 1980s and 1990s and is unfortunately still practiced by many doctors who prescribe antibiotic therapy just in case or in cover. This makes popular strains of bacteria resistant to drugs, which in the future may lead to the situation that we will not be able to defend ourselves against them due to the lack of effective drugs.