Throat swab culture

You will be asked to tilt your head back and open your mouth wide. Your health care provider will rub a sterile cotton swab along the back of your throat near your tonsils. You will need to resist gagging and closing your mouth while the swab touches this area. Your provider may need to scrape the back of your throat…

DO NOT use antiseptic mouthwash before this test.

Your throat may be sore when this test is done. You may feel like gagging when the back of your throat is touched with the swab, but the test only lasts a few seconds.

This test is done when a throat infection is suspected, particularly strep throat. A throat culture can also help your provider determine which antibiotic will work best for you.

A normal or negative result means no bacteria or other germs that may cause a sore throat were found.

An abnormal or positive result means bacteria or other germs that can cause a sore throat were seen on the throat swab.

This test is safe and easy to tolerate. In very few people, the sensation of gagging may lead to an urge to vomit or cough.

Allen CT, Nussenbaum B, Merati AL. Acute and chronic laryngopharyngitis. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery . 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 61. Bryant AE, Stevens DL. Streptococcus pyogenes. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell,…