Most colds or sore throats heal on their own within a few days. However, the problem is sometimes more serious and is not solved that easily. If so, you should see a doctor who will check for a bacterial infection. To exactly recognize the pathogen that has hit you, a throat swab will be performed.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Understanding When a Throat Swab is Needed
Step 1. Recognize the symptoms
In general, the signs and symptoms of a throat infection are: pain, difficulty swallowing, red and swollen tonsils with white patches and streaks of pus, swollen and painful lymph nodes, fever, and a rash.
- A person may also experience many of these symptoms, but they may not suffer from strep throat because viral infections show the same signs as bacterial ones.
- Remember that it is possible to have the bacteria causing the infection without having a sore throat. in this case the individual is a "healthy carrier". This person is unknowingly able to transmit the disease to others while being asymptomatic at times.
Step 2. Know the purpose of the throat swab
The doctor decides to take this sample to mainly understand if the infection is bacterial or viral. The pathogen that causes streptococcal pharyngitis is Streptococcus pyogenes (also known as group A β-haemolytic streptococcus), it is highly contagious and spreads easily among humans.
- People expose themselves to the bacterium through airborne droplets from sneezing and coughing, sharing food and drink, even touching surfaces such as doorknobs and doorknobs, then transferring the germs from the skin to the mouth, nose and eyes.
- People get strep throat at any time of the year, but there is an increase in cases in late autumn and early spring. Children between five and fifteen years of age are among the most affected.
Step 3. Know the possible complications
Although this disease is not generally considered dangerous, complications can occur even with the right treatment. A major concern is the spread of infection to the sinuses, tonsils, skin, blood, or middle ear.
- Group A streptococcus. This bacterium is responsible for many diseases, including scarlet fever, rheumatic fever and streptococcal pharyngitis.
- Candida albicans. It is a fungus that causes thrush, an infection of the mouth and the surface of the tongue. Sometimes it can spread to the throat (and other areas) causing a major infection.
- Neisseria meningitidis. This bacterium, also known as meningococcus, is responsible for meningitis, an acute inflammation of the meninges (the protective membranes that line the brain and spinal cord).
- Once the bacterium has been identified, you can perform an antibiogram that allows you to understand which antibiotic is most effective against the pathogen.
Part 2 of 3: Perform the throat swab
Step 1. Ask the patient if they have used antibiotics or a mouthwash
If you are preparing a person for a throat swab, you should always inquire if they have used these products, as they can interfere and alter the accuracy of the culture by removing some of the bacteria.
- If the patient does not understand why it is not a good idea to remove the bacteria from the infected area, explain that this action does not cure the infection effectively. On the contrary, the subject becomes a healthy carrier capable of infecting other individuals for a long time; this practice also prevents the pathogen from being correctly identified.
- It tells the patient that the procedure is almost completely painless and that it does not require any special care or procedure upon completion.
- There is other information you should get from the sufferer. It is important that you know when the symptoms first appeared and how severe they are, how long the patient has had a sore throat, when it started and how it has evolved. You should also find out if the person has had a fever in the past few days and if they have been in contact with someone who recently suffered from strep throat.
Step 2. Use a tongue depressor
To check that the tonsils are swollen, red and above all covered with white and purulent streaks, you must lower the patient's tongue to have a good view of the throat and the tonsils themselves.
- You should also try to recognize other symptoms of the disease: fever, white or yellow plaques on the mucous membrane of the throat, dark and bright red areas in the throat and swollen tonsils.
- However, the visual examination of the throat and tonsils does not allow to determine whether the infection is viral or bacterial. Further tests are therefore required.
Step 3. Run the throat swab
Once you have identified the signs and symptoms of the disease, you must proceed with the swab to detect the presence of bacteria, including streptococci. The throat swab allows you to take a sample of all the bacteria present in the throat, to make a culture and to understand which pathogen caused the infection. The result will determine the type of therapeutic approach.
- Using a sterile cotton swab, touch the infected area with several strokes, in order to collect any bacteria or pathogens to send to the microbiologist for analysis.
- Be very careful not to touch the tongue, uvula and lips to avoid contaminating the sample.
- It shouldn't be a painful procedure, but remember that it may cause the patient to gag as the back of the throat is touched.
- Prepare the swab for transport to the testing lab.
Step 4. Run a quick antigen test
This is typically done only in an emergency or on children, because it provides an immediate response as to the pathogen present on the swab.
- This test recognizes strep within minutes by detecting substances (antigens) present in the throat. Once the bacterium has been identified, treatment can be done immediately.
- The disadvantage of this test is the speed of analysis, which can lead to misdiagnosis of some streptococcal pharyngitis. Therefore, it is always a good idea to proceed with a culture, especially if the antigen test has given negative results.
Step 5. Prepare the swab for the laboratory
Inoculate the culture with the sterile swab and then carefully place it in a collection container. If you need to perform a rapid strep test or screening, then use the red cap vial which contains the appropriate storage and transport medium. If you need to do a culture, use the blue cap vial.
- Remember to label the container correctly, otherwise there could be confusion about the treatments, with dangerous consequences for the patient.
- The collection container should arrive in the laboratory within 24 hours to allow accurate analysis of the sample.
Step 6. Analyze the crop
This should be placed in an anaerobic container and incubated at 35-37 ° C. You should leave the container at this temperature for 18-20 hours.
- After this time, you can take the container and analyze the colonies of bacteria (which contain the beta hemolytics). If you find traces of this colony, then the test is considered positive and the patient suffers from a bacterial infection. You will need to carry out further tests to accurately identify the bacterium.
- If there is no colony in the container, the test is negative. In this case the patient could have a viral infection caused by a pathogen such as Enterovirus, herpes simplex, Epstein-Barr virus or human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Other chemical or microscopic examinations will be needed to determine the exact infection affecting the patient.
Part 3 of 3: Treating and Preventing Additional Symptoms
Step 1. Administer antibiotics to treat strep throat
These drugs are the most common treatment for bacterial throat infections; they are able to reduce the duration of symptoms and prevent the spread of other people.
- Penicillin is the most used, it can be injected or taken orally.
- Amoxicillin is similar to penicillin and is often prescribed to children because it is also available in chewable tablets.
- If your patient is allergic to penicillin, here are some alternatives: cefalexin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, or clindamycin.
- The sufferer should feel much better and no longer be contagious within 24-48 hours.
- Make sure the patient understands that even if he feels better, he is essential who completes the entire course of antibiotics. He must take the pills as directed until they are used up. This prevents a resurgence of the infection and / or the development of an antibiotic-resistant bacterium.
Step 2. Encourage the patient to take home remedies
In most cases, antibiotics effectively kill the bacteria that cause the discomfort; however, there are remedies and lifestyle modifications that can alleviate the symptoms.
- Rest and relaxation help fight the infection. Advise the patient not to go to work or school for 24 hours after starting treatment, as strep throat is very contagious. After this time, the patient on antibiotic therapy no longer spreads the infection to others.
- Drinking plenty of water allows you to relieve sore throats, lubricate the mucous membranes and facilitate swallowing. This also prevents dehydration caused by antibiotics.
- Gargling with warm salt water will reduce pain in the throat. Remind the patient not to swallow the solution. Alternatively, you can make a mouthwash with diluted hydrogen peroxide (one capful of hydrogen peroxide in 240ml of warm water).
- The humidifier makes the air more humid and thus relieves the discomfort created by dry mucous membranes.
Step 3. Prevent future infections
Remember that strep are spread through the air from coughing, sneezing, and even through direct contact with contaminated surfaces.
- Wash your hands to avoid transferring bacteria from surfaces to your eyes, nose and mouth. Always use warm soapy water by rubbing your hands for 15-20 seconds or use an alcoholic sanitizer.
- Cover your nose and mouth with the crook of your elbow when you need to cough or sneeze.
- Don't touch your face, especially your nose, mouth and eyes.
- Do not share glasses, cutlery or toys with children who have strep throat.
