Quick answer
The Stool Culture & Sensitivity Test costs ₹800 at Live Line Health Care. Grows stool bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio to find the cause of serious or bloody diarrhoea, and shows which antibiotics work. No fasting is needed. It uses a stool sample and the report is usually ready within 48–72 hours.
Also known as: Stool C/S, Stool for C/S, Stool CS, Stool Culture and Sensitivity, Faecal Culture, Stool Bacterial Culture
What is the Stool Culture Test?
A Stool Culture & Sensitivity test looks for harmful bacteria in the gut by growing them from a fresh stool sample on selective plates. It is mainly used to find germs such as Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio, which can cause fever, bloody diarrhoea or severe watery diarrhoea. The normal gut is full of harmless bacteria, so the lab has to pick out the few species that cause disease. If one grows, it is identified and checked against antibiotics.
This is a different job from the Stool Routine test. The routine test is a quick look at the sample for pus cells, blood, worm eggs and cysts, and it can find parasites that a culture cannot. The culture takes 2 to 3 days and is kept for infections where knowing the exact bacterium changes care. Most short bouts of watery diarrhoea are viral and settle with fluids, so a culture is not always needed. A negative report also does not exclude viruses or parasites, which this test is not designed to find.
What it measures: Disease-causing gut bacteria in stool, such as Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio, along with their antibiotic sensitivity.
Parameters included (3)
- Enteric Pathogen Growth
- Organism Identified
- Antibiotic Sensitivity, if Grown
Why is this test done?
- Diarrhoea with blood or mucus
- Diarrhoea with high fever or severe stomach cramps
- Diarrhoea that lasts more than a few days or keeps getting worse
- Food poisoning affecting several people in a family, hostel or function
- Diarrhoea in infants, older people or anyone with low immunity
- Checking food handlers after a bowel infection, when a doctor advises it
When should you get tested?
- Loose stools containing blood or mucus
- Fever with stomach cramps
- Frequent, urgent stools with a feeling of incomplete emptying
- Severe watery diarrhoea
- Vomiting and weakness along with loose motions
How to prepare for the Stool Culture Test
- 1Pass stool into a clean, dry pan or onto clean paper, never straight into the toilet, then scoop about a spoonful into the sterile container. Include any part with blood or mucus.
- 2Keep urine and toilet water out of the sample, since both can spoil the result.
- 3Wait to start antibiotics until the sample has been given, unless a doctor tells you otherwise. Mention any antibiotic or anti-diarrhoea tablets already taken.
- 4Hand over the sample as soon as you can, ideally within 1 to 2 hours, as a fresh sample gives the best chance of growth.
- 5Keep sipping ORS or other fluids while you wait for the report.
Stool Culture Test normal range
| Parameter | Typical reference range |
|---|---|
| Expected result | No enteric pathogen isolated, such as Salmonella, Shigella or Vibrio |
| Pathogen isolated | Bacterium named, for example Shigella flexneri or a Salmonella species, with antibiotic results |
| Normal gut flora | Harmless gut bacteria, which may be mentioned and need no treatment |
Reports state what grew, so there is no numeric range. Some germs, including Campylobacter, need special methods, so tell your doctor if a particular germ is suspected. Ranges are typical adult values and vary between labs, age and sex. Always use the range printed on your report and discuss results with your doctor.
Understanding your results
- If a germ is isolated, your doctor should decide from the report whether you need an antibiotic at all. Many gut infections clear with fluids alone.
- No pathogen isolated does not rule out infection. Viruses, parasites, bacterial toxins or earlier antibiotics can all lie behind a negative report.
- Finding typhoid bacteria in stool needs a doctor’s review, because some people carry them without feeling ill and can pass them on through food.
- Fluids matter most. Go to a hospital for very little urine, sunken eyes, dizziness on standing, heavy bleeding, drowsiness, or if an infant or older person with diarrhoea cannot keep fluids down.
Stool Culture Test – FAQs
What is the price of the Stool Culture Test?
The Stool Culture & Sensitivity Test costs ₹800 at Live Line Health Care, at all 45 centres and for home sample collection.
What is the difference between stool routine and stool culture?
Stool routine checks a sample directly for pus cells, blood, eggs and cysts, so it helps find parasites and signs of inflammation. Stool culture grows disease-causing bacteria and shows which antibiotics work. Your doctor may ask for one or both, depending on your symptoms.
How long does a stool culture take?
A report usually takes 48 to 72 hours, since suspicious colonies must be grown, identified and tested against antibiotics. Your doctor may begin care before then, based on your symptoms. Fluids should never wait for the report.
Which bacteria does a stool culture find?
It mainly looks for Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio cholerae, and sometimes other gut germs. It does not detect viruses such as rotavirus or norovirus, or parasites such as Giardia. Those need a different test, so tell your doctor about your full symptoms.
Do I need a stool culture for every episode of diarrhoea?
No. Most short episodes get better within a few days with fluids and rest. A culture is more useful for blood in stools, high fever, severe illness, an outbreak, or diarrhoea that does not settle. Your doctor can advise you.
Should I take an antibiotic for loose motions before the stool test?
No, please avoid self-medicating. Antibiotics can stop bacteria growing in the sample and are not helpful for most diarrhoea. They can even do harm in some infections. Give the sample first, unless your doctor has told you to begin treatment.
What does no enteric pathogen isolated mean?
It means none of the disease-causing bacteria the lab was looking for grew from your sample. It is a reassuring result, but it does not exclude a virus or parasite. If your diarrhoea continues, ask your doctor about further testing.
Where can I get the Stool Culture Test done?
At any of our 45 Live Line Health Care centres in 40 cities across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Warangal, Kakinada and Nellore, or book home sample collection.
Medical disclaimer: This information is for general awareness only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor to interpret your results and before starting or changing any treatment.