Culture and Sensitivity (Throat Swab)

A throat culture, or throat swab culture, is a test of the germs in the back of your throat. Your healthcare provider uses a throat culture to help diagnose an infection. During a throat culture, your provider rubs a cotton swab along the back of your throat. They collect a sample of the cells to send to a lab.

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The sensitivity and specificity of culture is reported as 78 and 99 percent, respectively.

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Abnormal (positive results): Strep bacteria are found. This means you have strep throat. Antibiotics can be started right away.