Testing for group a streptococci.
BACKGROUND
Laboratory diagnosis of group A streptococcal pharyngitis in physician office and small-hospital laboratories.


OBJECTIVE
To characterize laboratory practices for the diagnosis of group A streptococcal pharyngitis and to identify opportunities for improvement.


METHODS
Voluntary self-assessment questionnaire, used to assess the laboratory practices of 790 laboratories subscribing to the College of American Pathologists Excel Microbiology Proficiency Testing Program.


RESULTS
We observed discrepancies between self-reported and recommended specimen collection and laboratory testing practices for some laboratories. The most notable discrepancies were failing to provide a written specimen-collection procedure (17.8%), sampling the tongue and oral mucosa (2%), failing to always perform back-up cultures when rapid antigen test results were negative (57.5%), and finalizing culture reports within 24 hours or less (34.0%). Additionally, among those respondents who used the bacitracin disk, 57.9% (277 respondents) applied the disk directly onto a primary plate.


CONCLUSIONS
Opportunities exist to improve testing practices for the diagnosis of group A streptococcal pharyngitis for some physician office and small-hospital laboratories.
Dale
Jane C
JC
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA. dale.jane@mayo.edu
Novak
Robert
R
Higgens
Patricia
P
Wahl
Elmer
E
D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D011786:Quality Control; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*