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Processing of upper respiratory tract specimens
VANÍČKOVÁ, Nikola
This bachelor thesis focuses on the processing of upper respiratory tract specimen, primarily on the cultivation of throat swabs. The theoretical part introduces the anatomy and physiological flora of upper respiratory tract and the individual bacteria that can, under specific circumstances such as the body being weakened by virus infection, cause illness. It details diseases that can affect the respiratory system such as tonsillitis, which is the focus of the practical part. The culture media used to isolate microbes from throat swabs are also concisely described. The practical part is solely focused on the cultivation of throat swabs on blood agar. Group A, C and G streptococci, which cause acute tonsillitis or pharyngitis, were considered pathogens. The streptococci groups were determined by latex agglutination test. The data provided by the Department of Clinical Microbiology of Nemocnice Písek, a.s., were processed and compiled into statistics comparing the occurrence of individual streptococci in the samples. Furthermore, the occurrence of pathogens over the year and within different age categories was compared. The data provided were from the span of twelve months (from the 1st April 2018 to the 31st March 2019). The aim of this thesis was to introduce the upper respiratory tract diseases, primarily the streptococcal infection of the tonsils and pharynx. Furthermore, the aim was to get accustomed to laboratory methods used in the examination of throat swabs and the subsequent compilation of statistics from obtained data.
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