Staphylococci are gram-positive bacteria. To date, they know about 30 species. The following varieties of staphylococcus are considered dangerous for the human body:
- saprophytic staphylococcus;
- epidermal staphylococcus aureus ;
- Staphylococcus aureus .
These types of microorganisms not only block the immune functions of the body, but also release strong toxins. It is for the detection of pathogenic bacteria and the determination of their sensitivity to antibiotics that a nasal or throat swab is taken for staphylococcus aureus.
How to take a smear from the nose and throat on staphylococcus aureus?
The attending physician (therapist or otolaryngologist) to determine the cause of a chronic disease, to choose an antibacterial course or to determine the effectiveness of the therapy, often recommends the patient to give a smear from the nose or throat to staphylococcus and other pathogenic microorganisms. Taking biomaterial is carried out quickly, while the procedure is absolutely safe and painless. A long wand with cotton wool at the end of the nurse holds the mucous, then puts it in a sterile jar with a sealed lid.
To sow a harmful bacterium in a laboratory, the biomaterial is placed in a special nutrient medium for about a day. After 24 hours, the specialist studies the result. The presence of pathogenic microorganisms is confirmed by the noticeable growth of colonies in the nutrient broth.
There are certain rules that must be followed to obtain a reliable analysis result. Before the study, the patient should not:
- In a few days, take antibiotics.
- Eat and drink for 8 hours before taking the smear.
- Brush your teeth and rinse your mouth before going to the polyclinic.
The norm of staphylococcus in a smear from the nose and throat
In addition to the qualitative evaluation of the biomaterial taken (the presence / absence of the pathogen), the bacterial culture permits to make a quantitative assessment - to reveal the concentration of microorganisms in the mucus. There are four degrees of bacterial growth:
- At the first degree there is a meager increase in the number of staphylococci in a liquid medium.
- II degree is determined by the presence of colonies in an amount of up to 10, taking into account the fact that bacteria of one species are present in a dense medium.
- III degree is characterized by the presence of 10 - 100 colonies.
- Identification of more than 100 colonies indicates the IV degree of seeding.
On the course of the pathological process in the body indicate III and IV degrees of growth of microorganisms, while I and II degree only confirm the presence of these bacteria in the biomaterial under study.