Specimen Requirements

Specimen Type: Swab

Container/Tube: E-Swab with Liquid Amies Fluid (White Cap)

Collection Instructions: 

Collection of throat culture (use Universal Precautions)

• A sterile tongue depressor is inserted into the patient's mouth and gently pressed down at the base of the tongue.
• The specimen is collected from the tonsils or the back of the throat using an eSwab or other sterile swab, being careful to avoid touching the inside of the cheek or tongue.
• Any obvious lesions should be cultured. The swab is rotated to get beneath the surface. If no lesions are visible, the swab is rotated vigorously over the tonsillar area and area posterior to the uvula.
• Replace the swab in the transport tube and send the specimen to the microbiology lab. Throat specimens negative for group A strep screen are reflexed to a throat culture to detect low numbers of Streptococcus pyogenes.