Genital Culture

See Investigation of Vaginal Discharge in Adult Women (pdf)

Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) is available for Trichomonas Vaginalis, Chlamydia Trachomatis, Neisseria Gonorrhoeae and Herpes Simplex Virus - see Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Samples from the following categories or with the following clinical details will be cultured:

• Semen
  
• Females under 15 years of age
  
• All hospital or outpatient department patients
  
• Blood loss / intramenstrual bleeding / spotting / post coital bleeding
• Abdominal pain
• Cervicitis
• Dyspareunia
• Endometriosis
• Group B streptococci
• Labour
• Miscarriage / termination of pregnancy
• Postnatal
• Postoperative
• Preoperative
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Persistent or recurrent (4 or more episodes per year) of Candidiasis or treatment failure
• Septic abortion / intrauterine death
• Symptoms not characteristic of Candidiasis or Bacterial Vaginosis

Sample type

For bacterial culture:

• high or low vaginal swab
  
• cervical swab
  
• semen sample

Specimen requirements

Swabs should be sent in ∑-TRANSWAB® (MWE) (purple top); if unavailable use Amies medium black top swab

Semen samples should be sent in a sterile universal container

Minimum volume

N/A

Frequency of test

Daily

Turnaround time

5 days

What to request on EPR

Genital swab MCS