Rapid PCR Test for Group A Strep from Throat Swabs
Author Information
Author(s): Robert Slinger, David Goldfarb, Derek Rajakumar, Ioana Moldovan, Nicholas Barrowman, Ronald Tam, Francis Chan
Primary Institution: Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa
Hypothesis
Can a rapid PCR assay for Group A streptococcus (GAS) improve diagnosis compared to traditional culture methods?
Conclusion
The GAS PCR assay performs as well as conventional throat swab culture for detecting GAS in patients with pharyngitis.
Supporting Evidence
- The sensitivity of the GAS PCR assay was 96.0%, and specificity was 98.6%.
- The positive predictive value (PPV) was 96.9%, and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 98.1%.
- The assay can be performed in approximately 1 hour, including DNA extraction.
Takeaway
This study shows that a quick test can help doctors find out if kids have a throat infection caused by a germ called Group A strep, which helps them treat it faster.
Methodology
The study compared a rapid PCR assay to traditional culture methods using archived throat swab samples.
Potential Biases
The study may have bias due to the retrospective nature and the potential effects of freezing on sample integrity.
Limitations
Not all specimens from the original study were available for testing, and samples were tested retrospectively after freezing.
Participant Demographics
Children and adolescents with pharyngitis were included in the study.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 90.1% to 98.4%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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