Stool cultures are used to identify viruses, parasites, and other pathogenic microorganisms. The routine culture can identify: - Shigella
- Salmonella
- Campylobacter
- Yersinia
- E.Coli
- Staphylococcus
Since stool normally has a large number of various microorganisms present, it is not sterile. Stool passed into a toilet bowl is not ideal for culture as it may contain contamination from others. It is better to pass the stool directly into a collection jar, or a bedpan. A sample of the stool can be separated with a tongue blade and placed into a specimen container for deliver to the lab. | Normal Values* | Stool Culture | Normal Stool Flora | *These are general values taken from a variety of sources. The actual normal values may vary from lab to lab and from one type of testing protocol to another. |
