title: Streptococcal pharyngitis--rapid diagnosis by Gram stain.
abstract: Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci were isolated from 51 (9.8%) of 519 patients with pharyngitis. Throat culture results showed the mean sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of a positive Gram-stained smear of pharyngeal secretions as 70%, 89% and 69%. The data suggest that Gram staining of a smear directly from the swab is as accurate as and more speedy than a culture from the pharyngeal secretion for diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification