MICHIGAN INNOVATIVE DIAGNOSTICS

Bacterial culture of the throat used to identify Group A Streptococcus and other bacterial pathogens causing pharyngitis, typically performed as confirmatory testing following a negative rapid strep antigen result.

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LIS PANEL CODE: (MID) Throat Culture

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INDIVIDUAL LIS TEST CODES INCLUDED WITHIN PANEL: Routine Throat Culture, ORG

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CPT CODE: 87081

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ALIASES: THCX, Group A Strep Culture, Throat C&S, Pharyngeal Culture

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METHODOLOGIES: Bacterial Culture (Aerobic, Selective Media), with Reflex to Automated Organism Identification & AST if Growth is Present

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Laboratory Developed Test (LDT): Performance characteristics determined by Michigan Innovative Diagnostics. This test has not been cleared or approved by the FDA.

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SPECIMEN:

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- Type: Throat Swab

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- Container: E-Swab (Sterile Swab with Liquid Amies Transport Medium)

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- Minimum Volume Required: N/A (Single Swab)

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- Storage/Handling: Swab both tonsillar pillars and posterior pharynx, avoiding contact with tongue, cheeks, or teeth. Place swab into liquid amies transport medium immediately and transport to the laboratory promptly.

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- Stability:   

 

Room Temperature (20-25 °C): 2 days

Refrigerated (2-8 °C): 2 days

Frozen (-20 °C or colder): Not Accepted

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- Turnaround Time: 24 - 48 hours from receipt (final results dependent on culture growth and reflex to identification/susceptibility).

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Special Instructions: Specimens with significant bacterial growth will automatically reflex to organism identification, and any additional testing will be added to the original order. If Group A Streptococcus is identified, the culture will not reflex to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, as Group A Streptococcus remains universally susceptible to penicillin and susceptibility testing is not clinically indicated for this organism. Swab should be collected prior to initiation of antibiotic therapy whenever possible, as prior antibiotic use may suppress growth and yield a false-negative result.​​

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REJECTION REASONS: QNS, Dry/Expired Transport Medium, Contamination, Stability Violation, Unlabeled/Mislabeled Specimen, Incorrect Container

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EXPECTED FINDINGS:​​

 

Throat Culture: No Beta-Hemolytic Streptococci Isolated

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