Fecal culture

A stool sample is needed. There are many ways to collect the sample. You can collect the sample: On plastic wrap. Place the wrap loosely over the toilet bowl so that it is held in place by the toilet seat. Put the sample in a clean container given to you by your health care provider. In a plastic container for the…

You will get a collection container for the stool specimen. Depending on the stool tests ordered, you may be given multiple collection bottles. They may have different instructions. Read everything ahead of time, and make sure to follow all instructions carefully.

There is no discomfort.

The test is performed when your health care provider suspects that you may have a gastrointestinal infection. It may be done if you have severe diarrhea that does not go away or that keeps coming back.

There are no abnormal bacteria or other organisms in the sample.

Abnormal results may mean you have an intestinal infection . Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results.

There are no risks.

Often other stool tests are done in addition to the culture, such as: Gram stain of stool Fecal smear Stool ova and parasites exam

Fleckenstein JM. Approach to the patient with suspected enteric infection. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine . 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 262. Melia JMP, Sears CL. Infectious enteritis and proctocolitis. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's…