BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuNasopharyngeal cultureCulture - nasopharyngeal; Swab for respiratory viruses; Swab for staph carriageNasopharyngeal culture is a test that examines a sample of secretions from the uppermost part of the throat, behind the nose, to detect organisms that can cause disease. How the Test is Performed You will be asked to cough before the test begins and then tilt your head back. A sterile cotton-tipped swab is gently passed through a nostril and into your nasopharynx. This is the part of the pharynx that covers the roof of the mouth. The swab is quickly rotated and removed. The sample is sent to a laboratory. There, it is placed in a special dish (culture). It is then watched to see if bacteria, viruses, or other disease-causing organisms grow.Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / How to Prepare for the Test No special preparation is needed. How the Test will Feel You may have slight discomfort and may gag. Why the Test is Performed The test identifies viruses and bacteria that cause upper respiratory tract symptoms. These include:Bordetella pertussis, the bacteria that cause whooping cough Whooping coughPertussis is a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughing. The coughing can make it hard to breathe. A deep "...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Neisseria meningitidis, the bacteria that cause meningococcal meningitis Meningococcal meningitisMeningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This covering is called the meninges. Bacteria are one type of germ ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Staphylococcus aureus, the bacteria that cause staph infections Staph infectionsStaph (pronounced staff) is short for Staphylococcus. Staph is a type of germ (bacteria) that can cause infections almost anywhere in the body. One ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) MRSAMRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA is a "staph" germ (bacteria) that does not get better with the type of antibiotics...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Viral infections such as influenza or respiratory syncytial virus or SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19); this is the most common reason the test is usedSARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that causes fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, but many other symptoms can occur....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The culture may be used to help determine which antibiotic is appropriate to treat an infection due to bacteria. Normal Results The presence of organisms commonly found in the nasopharynx is normal. What Abnormal Results Mean The presence of any disease-causing virus, bacteria, or fungus means these organisms may be causing your infection. Sometimes, organisms like Staphylococcus aureus can be present without causing disease. This test can help identify resistant strains of this organism (MRSA) so that people can be isolated when necessary. Risks A minor nose bleed can occur, but it is rare.Open ReferencesReferencesL'Huillier AG, Torriani G, Pigny F, Kaiser L, Eckerle I. Culture-competent SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharynx of symptomatic neonates, children, and adolescents. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020;26(10):2494-2497. PMID: 32603290 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32603290/.Patel R. The clinician and the microbiology laboratory: test ordering, specimen collection, and result interpretation. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 16.Roginski MA, Atchinson PR. Upper respiratory tract infections. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 61.AllVideoImagesTogNasopharyngeal culture - illustration A nasopharyngeal culture is a test used to identify organisms that can be in nasal secretions causing disease. Nasopharyngeal cultures are useful in identifying Bordetella pertussis and Neisseria meningitidis (types of bacteria). The culture may be used to test for appropriate antibiotic therapy.Nasopharyngeal cultureillustrationNasopharyngeal culture - illustration A nasopharyngeal culture is a test used to identify organisms that can be in nasal secretions causing disease. Nasopharyngeal cultures are useful in identifying Bordetella pertussis and Neisseria meningitidis (types of bacteria). The culture may be used to test for appropriate antibiotic therapy.Nasopharyngeal cultureillustration Tests for Nasopharyngeal culture Nasopharyngeal cultureRelated Information Review Date: 11/25/2023 Reviewed By: Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, MHS, Paul F. Harron Jr. Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. 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Nasopharyngeal cultureCulture - nasopharyngeal; Swab for respiratory viruses; Swab for staph carriageNasopharyngeal culture is a test that examines a sample of secretions from the uppermost part of the throat, behind the nose, to detect organisms that can cause disease. How the Test is Performed You will be asked to cough before the test begins and then tilt your head back. A sterile cotton-tipped swab is gently passed through a nostril and into your nasopharynx. This is the part of the pharynx that covers the roof of the mouth. The swab is quickly rotated and removed. The sample is sent to a laboratory. There, it is placed in a special dish (culture). It is then watched to see if bacteria, viruses, or other disease-causing organisms grow.Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / How to Prepare for the Test No special preparation is needed. How the Test will Feel You may have slight discomfort and may gag. Why the Test is Performed The test identifies viruses and bacteria that cause upper respiratory tract symptoms. These include:Bordetella pertussis, the bacteria that cause whooping cough Whooping coughPertussis is a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughing. The coughing can make it hard to breathe. A deep "...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Neisseria meningitidis, the bacteria that cause meningococcal meningitis Meningococcal meningitisMeningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This covering is called the meninges. Bacteria are one type of germ ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Staphylococcus aureus, the bacteria that cause staph infections Staph infectionsStaph (pronounced staff) is short for Staphylococcus. Staph is a type of germ (bacteria) that can cause infections almost anywhere in the body. One ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) MRSAMRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA is a "staph" germ (bacteria) that does not get better with the type of antibiotics...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Viral infections such as influenza or respiratory syncytial virus or SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19); this is the most common reason the test is usedSARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that causes fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, but many other symptoms can occur....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The culture may be used to help determine which antibiotic is appropriate to treat an infection due to bacteria. Normal Results The presence of organisms commonly found in the nasopharynx is normal. What Abnormal Results Mean The presence of any disease-causing virus, bacteria, or fungus means these organisms may be causing your infection. Sometimes, organisms like Staphylococcus aureus can be present without causing disease. This test can help identify resistant strains of this organism (MRSA) so that people can be isolated when necessary. Risks A minor nose bleed can occur, but it is rare.Open ReferencesReferencesL'Huillier AG, Torriani G, Pigny F, Kaiser L, Eckerle I. Culture-competent SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharynx of symptomatic neonates, children, and adolescents. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020;26(10):2494-2497. PMID: 32603290 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32603290/.Patel R. The clinician and the microbiology laboratory: test ordering, specimen collection, and result interpretation. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 16.Roginski MA, Atchinson PR. Upper respiratory tract infections. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 61.