Culture And Sensitivity Aerobic Nasal Swab

A nasal swab is a method used to test the sensitivity of the bacteria which may be the reason for infections in the upper respiratory tract. The upper respiratory tract consists of the nose, throat, and Pharynx(uppermost part of the throat). This test helps in diagnosing bacterial infections especially aerobic bacterial infections. In this procedure, a sample collecting swab is carefully introduced into the nasal region and the internal circumference of the nostril is swabbed to collect the sample which is transferred into a growth medium to observe the type of bacteria present.

What is nasal swab?

It is a sterile cotton-tipped swab which used to collect a sample of secretions from nose and pharynx ( uppermost part of the throat). The collected sample is then sent to a laboratory to check for bacterial growth and treatment is decided according to the type of bacterial infection and medicines which are effective against that specific kind of bacteria present.

What are Bacteria, and Aerobic Bacteria:

Bacteria are the single-celled microorganisms that can live within the soil, in the ocean and also inside the human gut. They have a number of shapes such as spirals, rods, and spheres etc. Some bacteria can cause illness to the human body and some other plays a major role in the overall functioning of our ecosystem.

Aerobic bacteria are the bacteria which can survive in the presence of oxygen only. In the absence of oxygen, aerobic bacteria cannot survive and can die. Some of the aerobic bacteria are Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nocardia, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis etc.

Why this test is performed:

This test is performed to check if an individual’s nasal cavity is infected by aerobic bacteria or not. This test may be recommended to you by a physician if you have conditions like chest congestion, cough since a long time and symptoms like a runny nose, nasal bleed, irritation etc. This test helps to find the causative bacteria that affects the respiratory system.

This test also helps the doctors to plan the treatment according to the type of bacteria, that is causing the infections like influenza, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, pertussis (whooping cough) etc. The test can also be performed to check the effectiveness of the treatment.

The test results may vary depending on age, health history, medical condition, etc.

If your test results are negative, then it may indicate that there are no signs of growth of aerobic bacteria.

If your test results are positive, then it may indicate there is a chance for the growth of aerobic bacteria, which means that the particular nasal area has been infected by aerobic bacteria.

If abnormal test results were seen, consult your doctor immediately with your lab test reports.