US Medical Term · tests
Stool Culture
Cultivo de heces
Also: Coprocultivo (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Stool Culture |
| Spanish (Español) | Cultivo de heces |
| Chinese (中文) | 糞便培養 |
| Korean (한국어) | 대변 배양 검사 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Cấy phân |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Stool Culture |
| Portuguese (Português) | Coprocultura |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | การเพาะเชื้อจากอุจจาระ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 便培養検査 |
What it means
A stool culture is a laboratory test that grows and identifies bacteria, parasites, or other pathogens in a sample of your bowel movements. You collect a small amount of stool in a sterile container provided by the clinic, typically catching it on a sheet of plastic placed over the toilet. The lab places the sample on growth plates and watches for two to three days to see what organisms grow. If bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, or E. coli are found, lab staff also test which antibiotics can treat the infection. Doctors order stool cultures for persistent diarrhea, bloody stool, foodborne illness investigations, and traveler's diarrhea.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
How do I collect a stool sample at home for the culture test?
¿Cómo recolecto una muestra de heces en casa para el cultivo?
My stool culture came back positive for Salmonella — what is the treatment?
Mi cultivo de heces salió positivo para Salmonella — ¿cuál es el tratamiento?
How long does it take for a stool culture result to come back?
¿Cuánto tarda en llegar el resultado del cultivo de heces?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026