title: Sensitivity of a rapid antigen detection test for group A streptococci in a private pediatric office setting: answering the Red Book's request for validation.
abstract: In the office laboratory of our private practice, the sensitivity of a single rapid antigen detection (RAD) test for group A streptococci (compared with backup throat culture) was examined over 3 winter periods. When cultures were held only 24 hours, the sensitivity was 92%; in the second period, when cultures were held to 48 hours, the sensitivity declined significantly to 86%; when the cultures were read without knowledge of the RAD test result, the sensitivity was 85%. As the Red Book Committee has suggested, physician office laboratories should validate the sensitivity of their RAD test against culture onto blood agar before abandoning the backup throat culture.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Associates of Charlottesville, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902, USA. cea4p@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Armengol
authors.forename: Theresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Schlager
authors.forename: J Owen
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Hendley
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D010372:Pediatrics; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial