OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of rapid antigen detection testing (RADT) for the diagnosis of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis in children, and to detect the sensitivity and specificity of rapid antigen detection of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci from throat specimen compared with throat culture. METHODS: Rapid antigen detection and throat culture results for group A beta-hemolytic streptococci from outpatients attending university hospital between 1st January 2011 and 31st of December 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. The antigen test negative-throat culture positive patients were investigated for streptococcal carriage. For this purpose, the throat culture results taken from these patients were reviewed after treatment. RESULTS: Eight hundred and ninetytwo children were included in the studywith a mean age of 5.34 y. There were 639 and 253 children in two groups with age of 0-6 and 7-17 y, RADT sensitivity and specificity were found to be 59.5 % and 97.2 %, respectively. The positive predictive value was 87.1 %, whereas negative predictive value was 88.4 %. After treatment of 74 patients with throat culture positive and antigen test negative. Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci were isolated in 12 of them (16.2 %) and accepted as a carrier. CONCLUSIONS: The low sensitivity of the RADT may be related to streptococcal carriage in some patients. The throat culture should be repeated after treatment to detect streptococcal carriage.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of rapid antigen detection testing (RADT) for the diagnosis of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis in children, and to detect the sensitivity and specificity of rapid antigen detection of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci from throat specimen compared with throat culture. METHODS: Rapid antigen detection and throat culture results for group A beta-hemolytic streptococci from outpatients attending university hospital between 1st January 2011 and 31st of December 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. The antigen test negative-throat culture positive patients were investigated for streptococcal carriage. For this purpose, the throat culture results taken from these patients were reviewed after treatment. RESULTS: Eight hundred and ninetytwo children were included in the studywith a mean age of 5.34 y. There were 639 and 253 children in two groups with age of 0-6 and 7-17 y, RADT sensitivity and specificity were found to be 59.5 % and 97.2 %, respectively. The positive predictive value was 87.1 %, whereas negative predictive value was 88.4 %. After treatment of 74 patients with throat culture positive and antigen test negative. Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci were isolated in 12 of them (16.2 %) and accepted as a carrier. CONCLUSIONS: The low sensitivity of the RADT may be related to streptococcal carriage in some patients. The throat culture should be repeated after treatment to detect streptococcal carriage.
Authors: Alan L Bisno; Michael A Gerber; Jack M Gwaltney; Edward L Kaplan; Richard H Schwartz Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2002-07-15 Impact factor: 9.079