Culture & Sensitivity –Mouth Swab:
Why Culture and Sensitivity – Mouth Swab Specimen Test?
CLINICAL INFORMATION
Mouth swab specimen for culture and sensitivity test is useful in the diagnosis of bacterial (especially streptococcus bacteria – Streptococcus pyogenes), viral (flu) or fungal eg. Candidiasis ( i.e oral candida Albicans) infections, etc, that shows signs and symptoms in the oral/buccal mucosa of the mouth. Oral fluid or salivary specimen (for the presence of alcohol in drunk and drive cases/ hit and run suspects by law enforcement departments) also helps to screen for drug tests (drug of abuse or poisoned cases in forensic science etc). The specimen of choice for covid flu cases – SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (COVID – caused by coronavirus) is usually nasal swab/nasopharyngeal swab for culture (from posterior pharyngeal wall), but in many uncooperative cases the secondary choice of specimen collection is from mouth/throat swabs. Hence as its extrapolation, additional tests like throat swab culture or throat culture tests are also performed, as in cases like sore throat (with/without systemic manifestations) to detect the presence of infections causing diseases such as strep-throat (streptococcus bacteria), pneumonia, tonsillitis, whooping cough, meningitis, etc. Thus their test results assist the physician to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. In addition non-healing wounds (punched out lesions – aphthous ulcer) in the mouth (tubercular ulcers) and/or suspected buccal mucosal cancers needs mouth swab specimens for confirmation (Histopathological tests). Clinical manifestations include runny nose, fever, chronic cough, chest congestion, body ache, headache, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath while excretion, palpitations, etc. Complications of untreated or chronic cases may lead to secondary manifestations of strep throat such as rheumatic fever – heart disease affecting valves, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, an abscess usually around tonsils, swollen lymph nodes around the neck, etc. Other complications may include chronic/acute respiratory distress syndromes that may lead to chronic obstructive or restrictive lung diseases, cancers, etc. Tests for supporting evidence include various other specimens eg. urine tests, blood tests, sweat tests, and also further investigations like spirometry, X-rays of the chest, CT Scan of head and neck and/or chest region, etc.
General Instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen – Mouth swab (buccal mucosa). Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
Sample Requirement: Mouth (buccal mucosa) Swab
Test Preparation: None
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RT DIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centers to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
