SwabsLAB 304

Lecture \ 5

Learning objectivesTo recognize the procedure of throat swab.To recognize the procedure of vaginal swab.To recognize the procedure of cervical swab.

Throat swabProcedure

1- With the patient’s head tilted back and the throat well illuminated, depress the tongue so that the back of the throat can be seen.

2- Rub the swab up and down the back of the throat and against any white patches in the tonsillar area. Avoid the tongue and the cheeks.

Throat swabProcedure

3- Replace the swab in the transport tube .4- Seal tube tightly and label with patient’s information,

and date .5- Send the specimen to the laboratory .

Throat swabProcedure

Gargling to clear the throat or treatment with antibiotics will affect culture results and may make identification of the bacteria impossible. The patient should not gargle immediately before the swab.

Throat swabPrecautions

Definition : A throat culture is a microbiological procedure for

identifying disease-causing bacterial organisms in material taken from the throat. A throat swab will capture the causative organism in most cases and the culture will allow the specific organism to be grown in the microbiology laboratory under certain conditions. The bacteria can then be identified .

Throat swabCulture

Purpose : 1- identify the specific bacterial organisms that are causing

a sore throat or throat infection 2- a correct diagnosis is important to prevent unnecessary

use of antibiotics for viruses that do not respond to them. 3- the bacteria identified are used to determine antibiotic

sensitivity, allowing physicians to select the most appropriate and effective antibiotic to treat a specific infection.

• It is common for physicians to order culture and sensitivity tests at the same time. ( c/s test )

Throat swabCulture

Vaginal swabVaginal swabs are the specimens of choice when

screening for :1- Trichomonas vaginalis

Vaginal swab2- candida species

Candida albicans

Vaginal swab3- Gardnerella vaginalis with anaerobes .

1- Place the patient in dorsal position, supported by a pillow

2- ask her to bring her heels together, 3- bend her legs and then draw her heels towards her

bottom.4- Open the swab package

Vaginal swabProcedure

5- Remove the swab; do not touch the soft tip or lay the swab down.

6- Hold the swab as shown

Vaginal swabProcedure

7- Insert the swab into the lower part of the vagina (about two inches ).

8- Gently but firmly rotate the swab for 10 to 30 seconds in the vagina.

vagina

Vaginal swabProcedure

9- Withdraw the swab without touching the skin. 10- Place the swab into the test tube so that the tip of the

swab is visible below the tube label .11- Ensure that the swab is labeled accurately and place,

with the completed request form 12- transport bag to the Department of Medical

Microbiology.

Vaginal swabProcedure

Cervical swabAlso it is called : Papanicolaou test ,Pap smear, Pap

test, cervical smear, or smear test .A sample of cells from the patient's cervix is collected

and spread (smeared) on a microscope slide. The cells are examined under a microscope in order to look for pre-malignant (before-cancer) or malignant (cancer) changes.

Changes can be treated, thus preventing cervical cancer, and cancer can be detected early.

Cervical swabThe best time for screening is between 10 and 20 days

after the first day of menstrual period .For about two days before testing, the patient should

avoid douching or using spermicidal foams, creams, or jellies or vaginal medicines (except as directed by a physician). These agents may wash away or hide any abnormal cervical cells.

1- Place the patient in dorsal position, supported by a pillow

2- ask her to bring her heels together, 3- bend her legs and then draw her heels towards her

bottom.

Cervical swabProcedure

4- Moisten the speculum with warm water and insert into the vagina to separate the vaginal walls. Wipe away any excess cervical mucus with a tissue. Using a blue top Trans tube swab sample as high as possible into the vault.

5- Gently but firmly rotate the swab (a cervical brush)

Cervical swabProcedure

6- Withdraw the swab without touching the skin. 7- Remove speculum and wipe vaginal / vulvar area with a

tissue .8- Place the swab into the test tube so that the tip of the

swab is visible below the tube label .9- Ensure that the swab is labeled accurately and place,

with the completed request form 10- transport bag to the Department of Medical

Microbiology.

Cervical swabProcedure

Normal pap smear

Normal cervix

Abnormal pap smear

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