Intermedical Streptococcus Test
The strep test, also known as the rapid strep test (group A beta-hemolytic strep), is a test that determines if you have been infected with a type of bacteria called group A streptococcus in your throat. This bacteria causes an infection known as strep throat (strep throat).
Streptococcal infections are very common, especially in children between 3 and 15 years of age. A rapid strep test is usually recommended in the presence of severe or recurring sore throat, fever, and tender cervical lymph nodes. The rapid strep test is painless, provides results in minutes, and requires no preparation. The doctor uses a cotton swab (throat swab) to rub the back of the pharynx (throat) and tonsils, obtaining a sample that is then placed in reagents that detect the presence of the bacteria.
The test provides highly sensitive and specific results, allowing for a definitive diagnosis and the appropriate antibiotic therapy, which is unnecessary for viral infections. The rapid test takes about 15 minutes to complete. A positive result means that group A streptococci are present in the throat and an infection may be present. A negative result means that these bacteria are not present in the throat. Although the rapid test is quite reliable, antibiotics and antiseptic mouthwashes can affect the test results.
Remember to inform your doctor if you are taking antibiotics. Knowing you will be tested soon, avoid using mouthwashes, which may produce false-negative results. This test is preferable to a culture test, which, while it provides a more thorough analysis of the sample, is also more expensive and takes longer to provide results, as any bacteria present in the throat swabs are cultured so they can grow. It’s also important to note that a rapid test only detects one type of bacteria: Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Therefore, if the result is negative, you could still have an infection caused by another type of bacteria or virus. If the test is positive for strep throat, antibiotics are prescribed. If the strep infection is left untreated, it can lead to more serious conditions such as streptococcal pneumonia, ear infections, meningitis, kidney inflammation, and rheumatic fever.