Specimen:

Throat Swab

Collection Medium:

Testing
Schedule:

0700-2200, 7 days a week, including holidays.
Cultures are completed within 2-3 days.

Comments:

For children and adolescents, a negative rapid GAS antigen detection 
test should be confirmed with a throat culture.  A negative rapid 
antigen test without culture confirmation is considered an acceptable 
practice for adults because of the lower incidence of GAS pharyngitis 
and minimal risk of rheumatic fever.  Practice guidelines for the 
diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis are available at Infectious Diseases 
Society of America (IDSA) (Clin Infect Dis 2002; 35:113-25) and 
Circulation (Circulation 2009; 119:1541-1551).

Sample
Processing:

Label transport tube with two patient identifiers, date and time of 
collection.
Maintain sterility and forward promptly to lab.
Specimen should be collected and packaged as close to shipping time as 
possible.

Sample
Storage:

Refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Transport
Instructions:

Coolant packs up to 8 hours.
Place requisition into outside pocket of bag.
Place specimen into zip-lock type bag, seal bag.

CPT Code:

87081

See also:
Bacterial Culture