title: The diagnosis of group A, beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis in the office setting. Rapid latex test vs throat culture.
abstract: We compared a rapid latex agglutination test with cultures of throat specimens to diagnose group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis in an office setting. The throat cultures were interpreted by two pediatricians independently and evaluated by a reference laboratory. Five hundred seventy-two children participated in the study. The latex agglutination test had a sensitivity of 89.4% and a specificity of 85.7%. Cultures of throat specimens obtained in the office had a sensitivity of 91.9% and a specificity of 91.7% when interpreted by investigator 1, and a sensitivity of 90.0% and a specificity of 95.1% when interpreted by investigator 2. There was no statistically significant difference between the numbers of false-negative results generated by the two procedures. We conclude that although somewhat less specific, the latex test is as sensitive as cultures of throat specimens in the office setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Taubman
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Barroway
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: McGowan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification