Nasopharyngeal swab

The culture of normal human pharyngeal isthmus should have normal oral flora without pathogenic bacteria. The bacteria in the pharynx come from the outside and are not pathogenic under normal circumstances, but they can cause diseases due to the decline of systemic or local resistance and other external factors. Therefore, the bacterial culture of throat swab can isolate pathogenic bacteria, which is helpful to the diagnosis of diphtheria, suppurative tonsillitis and acute pharyngitis.

Nasal swab samples’ steps:

1. Please keep the patient's head still and remove the secretions on the surface of the anterior nostril;

2. Gently and slowly insert the swab through the nasal cavity to the nasopharynx;

3. When encountering resistance, it reaches the posterior nasopharynx and stays for a few seconds to absorb secretions;

4. Gently rotate and take out the swab and place it in the transport medium;

5. For the swab used for virological test, immerse the swab head in the virus delivery solution, discard the tail, and tighten the tube cover;

6. The swab used for bacteriological examination shall be inserted back into the sampling device or suitable transfer device.

Nasal swab samples’ notes:

1. Nasopharyngeal swabs are not recommended for general bacterial culture, except for special bacteria, such as pertussis baumannia and Neisseria meningitidis.

2. If botulinum pertussis infection is suspected, notify the laboratory in advance and prepare a special transport medium (Regan Lowe). Inoculation medium can be provided when conditions permit,

3. Directly inoculate beside the bed and transfer to the laboratory.

4. Nasopharyngeal swabs cannot be used to detect pathogens of sinusitis.