title: Latex agglutination tests for rapid identification of group A streptococci directly from throat swabs.
abstract: A comparison of the accuracy and practicality of two new latex agglutination tests for the rapid identification of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci directly from throat swabs was performed in a busy pediatric office. The Directigen Group A Strep Test kit had a sensitivity of 84%, specificity 99%, positive predictive value 99%, and negative predictive value 93% when compared with blood agar cultures. The Culturette Brand 10-Minute Group A Strep ID Kit had a sensitivity of 83%, a specificity 99%, positive predictive value 97%, and negative predictive value 93% when compared with blood agar cultures. When cultures with less than 10 colonies of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci per plate were not considered positive, both rapid tests had a sensitivity of 95%. The Culturette Brand test required considerably less time, equipment, supplies, and skill than the Directigen test. Only the Culturette Brand test appeared to be practical for routine use in a pediatrician's office. Further investigations of the accuracy of both of these rapid tests need to be performed before either is accepted as a substitute for the throat culture.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology