Throat Culture, Predominant Organisms THRC
| Method(s) | Culture |
|---|---|
| Specimen Required | |
| Collect | Eswab collection device. |
| Transport | Swab the posterior pharynx or other inflamed tissue at 20-25ºC. |
| Stability | Ambient: 48 hours; Refrigerated: 72 hours |
| Schedule | Daily |
| Billing Code | 3010144 |
| CPTCode | 87070 |
| Notes | 1. The throat culture for predominant organisms is intended to rule out Beta Strep Group A and the less common cause of bacterial pharyngitis: Beta Strep Group C and G. Please make a special note to rule out Arcanobacterium haemolyticum if this unusual pathogen is suspected. 2. To rule out Group A Strep only, the Group A Strep DNA (GASM) is a rapid test equivalent to culture with next day results. The Eswab collection device is the collector. 3. The throat culture (THRC) allows for susceptibility testing of Clindamycin and Erythromycin for Penicillin allergic patients, but takes 2-3 days to complete. Note, Group A Strep are still uniformly susceptible to penicillins and cephalosoprins. 4. To rule out yeast, order a Fungal Culture (FUNC). |
| Preferred Specimen Collection Device(s) | |
| Reference Interval | |
|
Normal Flora; Negative for Beta Strep Group A, C, and G. |
|
