Stool Culture: What To Think About

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What To Think About

• A stool culture may be ordered if you have diarrhea and drank untreated well or lake water or have been traveling to a rural area or outside of the country.
• You may still have an infection even if your stool culture test is normal.
• Sensitivity testing helps your doctor choose the best treatment for the specific disease or infection.
• A stool sample may be tested for parasites such as pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms and the protozoan Giardia that causes giardiasis. The parasites or their eggs can often be seen during an examination of the stool sample under a microscope. For more information, see the topics Pinworms or Giardiasis.
• A stool sample can also be checked for:
  • White blood cells, which may be caused by diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.
  • Blood, which may be caused by ulcers or cancer of the colon.
  • Poisonous substances (toxins) produced by some types of bacteria.
• A stool analysis is a series of tests done on a sample of stool to help diagnose certain conditions affecting the digestive tract, including infection, poor absorption, or cancer. For more information, see the medical test Stool Analysis.

Last updated:	April 11, 2008
Author:	Monica Rhodes
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Peter J. Kahrilas, MD - Gastroenterology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Tracy Landauer