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Evaluation of a two-minute strep A direct swab test (SADST) on patients with pharyngitis at a primary care clinic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

G. F. Araj
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Kuwait
H. A. Majeed
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Kuwait
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A two-minute strep A direct swab test (SADST) was used to detect the presence of Lancefield group A streptococci (GAS) from the throats of 207 patients with pharyngitis at a primary-care clinic. The results were compared with a standard culture method. Fifty-one specimens were positive and 156 specimens were negative for GAS by culture. The SADST had a sensitivity of 96% (49 of 51) and specificity of 98·7% (154 of 156). The predictive values of a positive and negative SADST, for GAS, were 96% and 98·7 % respectively. The SADST showed negative reactions with five specimens containing beta-haemotytic streptococci other than GAS and 34 known stock cultures other than GAS. Our results indicate that SADST is a rapid, simple, convenient and reliable test to use for diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis at primary care clinics, physicians' offices and clinical laboratories.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

References

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