The stool culture is a test that detects and identifies bacteria that cause infections of the

lower digestive tract. The test distinguishes between the types of bacteria that cause disease

(pathogenic) and the types that are normally found in the digestive tract (normal flora). The

test helps to determine if pathogenic bacteria are the cause of a person’s gastrointestinal

symptoms (gastroenteritis). The bacteria found in stool are representative of the bacteria that

are present in the digestive system (gastrointestinal tract). Certain bacteria and fungi called

normal flora inhabit everyone’s gastrointestinal tract. They play an important role in the

digestion of food and their presence keeps a check on the growth of disease-causing bacteria.