Reliability of Rapid Strep A Test in Acute Tonsillopharyngitis

Abstract

Upper respiratory tract infections form majority of patients who admit to ENT outpatient clinics. Differentiation of the pathogen agent either viral or bacterial is useful for decreasing treatment cost and unnecessary antibiotic use. Nowadays, there are a lot of rapid test techniques that can detect causative agents. In our study, we have examined the reliability of Rapid Strep A (RSA) test which is one of the rapid tests that are used for differentiation of viral-bacterial tonsillopharyngitis. Thirtyone patients who have admitted to Ege University ENT Department were examined. After ENT examination throat cultures and RSA test were applied. Peroral antibiotherapy was given to patients with positive RSA test. Monospot test and heterophil antibody positivity was found on four patients who were RSA test positive but antibiotherapy failed. According to our results, RSA test, when used together with other serologic tests in outpatient clinics, is an easy, rapid, cheap, helpful test for increasing clinical success and decreasing unnecessary antibiotic use.

Keywords

• acute tonsillopharyngitis
• throat cultures
• rapid strep a test.