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Rectal culture is a laboratory test to identify organisms in the rectum that can cause gastrointestinal symptoms and disease.

A cotton swab is inserted into the rectum, rotated gently, and removed. A smear of the swab is placed in culture media to encourage the growth of bacteria and other organisms. The laboratory technician watches the culture for growth.

When growth is observed, the organisms can be identified. Further tests to determine the best treatment may also be done.

See also: Sensitivity analysis

The health care provider does the rectal examination and collects the specimen.

There may be pressure as the swab is inserted into the rectum, but the test is usually not painful.

The test is performed if you have gastrointestinal distress and your doctor suspects that an infection of the rectum is the cause. It may be done when gonorrhea is suspected. It may also be done as an alternative to a fecal culture if it is not possible to get a specimen of feces.

The rectal culture may also be performed in a hospital or nursing home setting to see if someone carries vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) in their intestine, which can be spread to other patients.

Finding organisms that are usually found in the body is normal and does not indicate disease.

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

Abnormal results may indicate an infection, such as bacterial or parasitic enterocolitis or gonorrhea. Sometimes a culture shows that the patient is a carrier, but does not necessarily have an infection.

See also: Proctitis

There are no risks.

Culture - rectal

Handsfield HH, Sparling PF. Gonococcal infections. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 322.

Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.