A stool culture is done to:
- Find the cause of symptoms, such as severe or
bloody diarrhea, an increased amount of gas, nausea, vomiting, loss of
appetite, bloating, abdominal pain and cramping, and fever, especially if you drank untreated water from a stream or lake or have been traveling outside of the country.
and identify certain types of bacteria, viruses, or fungi that are
causing infections or diseases, such as
food poisoning, inflammation of the large intestine
- Identify a person who may not
have any symptoms of disease but who carries bacteria that can spread infection
to others. This person is called a carrier. A person who is a carrier and who
handles food is likely to infect others.
- Find out if treatment for
an infection has been effective.