Culture & Sensitivity, Aerobic bacteria Throat Swab For C.Diptheriae(Vitek 2 Compact)

Bacterial/ Viral

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No Fasting Required

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Identifies bacteria & antibiotic susceptibility.

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Culture & Sensitivity Aerobic bacteria Throat Swab For C.Diptheriae(Vitek 2 Compact)

Why is it done?
- Detects and identifies Corynebacterium diphtheriae and other aerobic bacteria from throat specimens using culture techniques combined with VITEK 2 Compact automated identification system
- Diagnosis of suspected diphtheria in patients presenting with pharyngeal symptoms including sore throat, pseudomembrane formation, and systemic symptoms
- Identification of bacterial pathogens in cases of acute pharyngitis or suspected bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract
- Determination of antibiotic susceptibility patterns to guide appropriate antimicrobial therapy
- Screening of close contacts or high-risk populations during diphtheria outbreaks
- Monitoring effectiveness of treatment and confirming bacterial clearance following antibiotic therapy
Normal Range
- Negative Culture Result: No growth of Corynebacterium diphtheriae or other significant pathogens identified; indicates absence of diphtheria and absence of aerobic bacterial infection
- Normal Flora Only: Presence of normal throat flora (commensal organisms such as alpha-hemolytic streptococci, Neisseria species, coagulase-negative staphylococci) without pathogenic organisms
- Units of Measurement: Qualitative (Positive/Negative/Negative with normal flora); quantitative growth may be reported as light, moderate, or heavy growth; bacterial identification reported as species name; susceptibility reported as susceptible (S), intermediate (I), or resistant (R)
- Interpretation Guide: Negative result = No pathogenic organisms detected (normal); Positive result = Significant pathogenic bacterial growth identified (abnormal); Identification and susceptibility results guide treatment decisions
Interpretation
- Positive for Corynebacterium diphtheriae: Confirms diagnosis of diphtheria; requires immediate clinical intervention and public health notification; associated susceptibility pattern indicates appropriate antibiotic therapy; toxin production status may be determined through additional testing
- Positive for other aerobic bacteria: Identifies bacterial pathogens such as Group A Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, or other respiratory pathogens; clinical significance depends on bacterial species identified and clinical context; susceptibility results direct targeted antibiotic therapy
- Negative culture with normal flora: Suggests non-bacterial etiology (likely viral) or absence of pathogenic infection; rules out diphtheria and bacterial pharyngitis; symptoms may be secondary to viral infection
- Susceptibility Pattern Interpretation: 'Susceptible (S)' indicates organism will likely respond to the antibiotic; 'Intermediate (I)' suggests moderate response may occur at higher doses; 'Resistant (R)' indicates organism will not respond to the antibiotic, requiring alternative therapy
- Factors affecting results: Prior antibiotic use may suppress organism growth; improper specimen collection or transportation may affect viability; specimen contamination with normal flora may occur; timing of specimen collection relative to symptom onset influences detection; vaccination status does not prevent colonization but may reduce disease severity
Associated Organs
- Primary organ systems involved: Upper respiratory tract (throat, pharynx, larynx, nasopharynx); lower respiratory tract (trachea, bronchi); cutaneous tissues in atypical presentations
- Diphtheria-associated conditions: Acute pharyngitis with pseudomembrane formation; respiratory tract obstruction; cutaneous diphtheria; nasopharyngeal diphtheria; systemic toxin-mediated complications (myocarditis, neuropathy, renal involvement)
- Diseases diagnosed or monitored: Diphtheria (primary indication); bacterial pharyngitis; Group A Streptococcal infection; acute laryngitis; tracheitis; upper respiratory tract infections; aerobic bacterial respiratory infections
- Potential complications of positive results: Airway obstruction from pseudomembrane in diphtheria; myocarditis and cardiac conduction abnormalities; polyneuropathy affecting cranial nerves; respiratory paralysis; renal complications; acute kidney injury; septic shock in severe cases; death if untreated
- Systemic involvement: Diphtheria toxin affects cardiac muscle and nervous system; untreated infections may progress to sepsis with multiorgan involvement; immune response may contribute to delayed complications weeks after acute infection
Follow-up Tests
- If positive for Corynebacterium diphtheriae: Elek test or immunoprecipitation test for toxin production confirmation; electrocardiogram (ECG) for myocarditis screening; cardiac enzyme levels (troponin, CK-MB); nerve conduction studies if neuropathy suspected; renal function tests (creatinine, BUN); electrolyte panel; repeat throat culture after treatment completion to document bacterial clearance
- If positive for Group A Streptococcus: Throat culture repeat at 2-4 weeks post-treatment to verify eradication; M-protein typing for epidemiological tracking in outbreaks; serologic testing (ASO titers) if acute rheumatic fever suspected; echocardiography for cardiac involvement assessment
- If positive for other pathogens: Follow-up culture based on clinical response to therapy; blood cultures if bacteremia suspected; chest X-ray for lower respiratory tract involvement evaluation; CBC with differential to assess inflammatory response
- Complementary diagnostic tests: Rapid antigen detection test for Group A Streptococcus; molecular PCR assays for rapid pathogen identification; respiratory viral panel if viral etiology suspected; serological testing for specific organism antibodies; molecular testing for toxin genes in C. diphtheriae
- Monitoring frequency: For diphtheria: clinical assessment and repeat culture at 2 weeks post-treatment completion; baseline and serial ECGs during first 2-4 weeks if myocarditis suspected; neurological examinations weekly if neuropathy concerns; for other infections: follow-up culture only if clinical symptoms persist after 48-72 hours of appropriate therapy or if recurrent symptoms occur
- Contact tracing testing: Throat culture for close contacts of confirmed diphtheria cases; screening culture for household members and workplace contacts; prophylactic antibiotic efficacy verification through follow-up cultures in contacts
Fasting Required?
- Fasting requirement: No fasting required
- Patient preparation requirements: Do not eat, drink, chew gum, or smoke for 30 minutes before specimen collection (to avoid sample contamination); rinse mouth with water only if needed before collection; avoid throat lozenges, mouthwash, or antiseptic rinses immediately before swabbing; inform healthcare provider of recent antibiotic use as this may affect culture results
- Medications to avoid: Do not use throat lozenges containing antiseptic agents 1 hour before collection; avoid antimicrobial mouthwash or throat spray for 1 hour prior to swabbing; if patient is already on antibiotics, notify the laboratory as culture sensitivity may be affected; topical antibiotics should be avoided immediately before specimen collection
- Specimen collection instructions: Specimen collected via sterile throat swab placed in appropriate transport medium; swab posterior pharynx, both tonsils, and any membranous areas if present; avoid contact with teeth, lips, tongue, or gums during collection; specimen must be collected before 72 hours of antibiotic therapy commencement for optimal culture yield; transport to laboratory immediately in appropriate transport medium (Amies or Stuart's media)
- Optimal timing for collection: Collect specimens within first 3-5 days of symptom onset for highest yield in diphtheria cases; early collection improves likelihood of positive culture; specimens may be collected at any time of day with no specific timing requirements

How our test process works!