Throat Culture Procedure

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Questions and Answers

Why is it important to roll the swab back and forth near one edge of the blood agar plate before streaking?

To ensure the bacteria are evenly distributed across the agar surface
To prevent the swab from touching the agar surface, which could contaminate the plate
To create a concentrated area of bacteria for easier isolation and identification (correct)
To ensure the swab is fully saturated with bacteria before streaking

When performing a catalase test on a colony from a blood agar plate, why is extreme care necessary?

The catalase test is very sensitive and can be easily disrupted by contaminants.
Erythrocytes from the blood agar contain catalase, which can lead to a false-positive result. (correct)
The catalase test is only reliable when performed on pure cultures of bacteria.
Blood agar can be contaminated with other bacteria, which could interfere with the test results.

Which of the following is NOT a reason to incubate the blood agar plate inverted?

To increase the oxygen concentration available for the bacteria to grow (correct)
To ensure that the agar surface remains moist and suitable for bacterial growth
To prevent condensation from dripping onto the agar surface and interfering with colony growth
To reduce the risk of contamination from airborne microorganisms

What is the purpose of using a sterile tongue depressor in this procedure?

To prevent the tongue from touching the swab and potentially contaminating the sample (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of characterizing the colonies and hemolytic types?

To identify the specific bacteria present in the throat culture (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to select well-isolated colonies for further testing?

To increase the likelihood of isolating a single bacterial species for identification (C) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Throat Culture: Swabbing Technique

A sterile swab is used to collect a sample from the tonsillar area of the throat.

Throat Culture: Using a Tongue Depressor

A sterile tongue depressor is used to gently hold the tongue down, allowing for easier access to the tonsillar area.

Throat Culture: Inoculation Technique

Roll the swab back and forth across a blood agar plate to transfer the throat sample. Then, use a sterile loop to streak the sample across the plate.

Throat Culture: Labeling the Plate

The blood agar plate is labeled with the body site (throat), the type of medium used (blood agar), and other relevant information.

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Throat Culture: Incubation Conditions

The inoculated blood agar plate is incubated at 35°C for 24 to 72 hours, allowing bacterial growth.

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Throat Culture: Colony Observation

After incubation, the blood agar plate is observed for different types of colonies, such as those that cause strep throat.

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Study Notes

Throat Culture Procedure

Collect a sterile throat swab sample, focusing on the tonsillar area.
Use a sterile tongue depressor to manipulate the tongue and avoid interference.
Streak the swab on a blood agar plate, rolling and streaking on one area of the plate.
Label the plate with the site sampled and the medium type.
Incubate the plate upside down at 35°C for 24-72 hours.
Inspect the plate for bacterial growth (colonies).
Identify the types of colonies based on characteristics.
Choose isolated colonies that match common throat pathogens.
Stain selected colonies using a Gram stain and conduct a catalase test on the same colonies.
Exercise extreme caution when transferring colonies from the blood agar plate to avoid false-positive catalase results due to possible blood cell contamination.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the throat culture procedure with this quiz. Covering steps from sample collection to bacterial identification, this quiz ensures you understand the necessary precautions and techniques involved. Perfect for students in microbiology or medical laboratory sciences.