How Reliable and Useful is the Latex Agglutination Test in Diagnosing Streptococcal Throat Infection in General Practice?

Abstract

A rapid latex agglutination test for diagnosing streptococcal pharyngitis in general practice was evaluated on 226 patients with acute throat infection. The test had a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 91% regarding group A beta hemolytic streptococci. The test was fairly simple to perform and the result was available before the patient left the office. The test was supplied as a self-contained kit, was safe to handle and economically acceptable. Even though this test is not as reliable as the traditional microbiological culture, it represents a significant practical and clinical improvement in the daily management of patients with acute throat infections.

Key Words:

• throat infection
• streptococcal pharyngitis
• latex agglutination tests
• office microbiology
• primary health care