COMMON PATHOGENS FOUND IN NASOPHARYNGEAL SWAB
|
BACTERIA |
GRAM POSITIVE: S. pneumonia, C. diphtheria, S. aureus, M. Ieprae |
|
|
GRAM NEGATIVE: H. inflenzae, N. meningitides, B. pertussis, B. Parapertusis,
Klebsiella species. |
|
VIRUSES |
Respiratory viruses, Entero
viruses |
COLLECTION OF PRE-NASAL SWABS-NASOPHARYNGEAL SWAB
Infection with B. pertussis and B. parapertussis (Whooping cough)
usually occurs in very young children who have not been immunized against the
disease. The organisms are best isolated from pre-nasal swabs.
- Using a sterile cotton or alginate wool swab attached to an easily bent piece of wire, gently pass the swab along the floor of one nostril directing the swab downwards and backwards as far as the nasopharynx.
- Taking care not to contaminate the nasal swab, replace it in its sterile container. Label and deliver immediately to the laboratory with a request form (B.pertussis does not survive on a swab).
- If there is delay in transport, then insert the swab in a bijou bottle containing special bordetella transport medium.
COLLECTION OF ANTERIOR NASAL SWABS
- Mostly anterior nasal swabs are collected to detect carriers of pathogens like S. aureus, S. pyogenes, N. meningitidis, H. influenzae.
- 1. Using a sterile cotton wool swab moistened with sterile peptone water, gently swab the inside surface of the nose.
- 2. Put it in its sterile container, label & transport within 2 hours to the laboratory.
- 3. If there is delay in transport then transfer it in Amies transportmedium.
COLLECTION OF NASOPHARYNGEAL ASPIRATES
- When it is not possible to obtain sputum from children with suspected pneumonia or bronchopneumonia, pathogens can often be isolated from a specimen of mucopus aspirated from the nasopharynx.
- Gently pass a sterile catheter through one nostril as far as the nasopharynx. Attach a sterile syringe to the catheter and aspirate a specimen of mucopus. Dispense the specimen into a small sterile container. Label and deliver with a request form to the laboratory as early as possible.
- lf there is delay in transport then make a swab of the aspirate and transfer in Amies transport medium.
