If you find yourself suffering from a sore throat, you must
visit a doctor so he or she can examine your throat and look for signs of
inflammation. The specialist can also look for swollen tonsils and identify any
accompanying symptoms. If the doctor thinks that you may have strep, a throat
culture can be performed.
Rapid Antigen Detection Test (RADT)
The RADT is the quickest way to determine
if strep infection or any other germ or bacteria is causing your sore throat.
Your doctor will collect a sample from back of your throat with a cotton swab.
The sample will then be taken to the lab to check for any signs of bacteria.
The rapid antigen detection test can detect strep bacteria in a
few minutes by identifying antigens in your throat. If your test gives a negative
result but the doctor isn’t quite sure that you don’t have strep throat,
additional testing will be required.
Throat Culture Detection Test
The doctor rubs a cotton swab in the back of your tonsils and
throat in order to obtain a sample of your secretions. It won’t hurt but it
might make you gag. The sample taken from your throat gets cultured in a
laboratory to look for any sign of the bacteria, and the process takes about
two days.
Your doctor may decide to start the antibiotic treatment before
the results are ready if you have most of the following symptoms:
● Fever
of 101°F or higher
● Coating
or yellow or white spots on the tonsils or throat.
● Tender
or swollen lymph nodes
●
No signs of a common cold or any other viral
infection
Even though the RADT is quicker than the throat culture, they
are not equally precise. Most of the rapid antigen detection tests are 95%
accurate while throat cultures are close to 100%. Most doctors recommend that
quick tests be properly confirmed with throat cultures.
When is it ordered?
A doctor will order you to take one of these tests if you have
a sore throat or other symptoms related to the infection. People that have been
in contact with an infected person require diagnosis. Any other individual
should call a doctor to get tested if they show the following symptoms:
● Sore
throat for more than a week
● Fever
● Inflamed
tonsils or throat with yellow or white patches
● Small
red spots on the roof of the mouth
● Severe
pain or difficulty when swallowing
● Body
or head aches
● Swollen
or tender lymph nodes
● Rash
● Hoarseness
for more than 15 days
● Blood
in mucus or saliva
● Excessive
drooling in kids
● Dehydration, dry mouth, thirst, or decreased
urination
Tests are not recommended if you have symptoms related to a
viral infection, like cough, mouth sores or a runny nose. In the case of
children under three years of age, it is not advisable to administer a throat
test, unless they are at a risk of contagion. In general, it is not recommended
asymptomatic people take tests even if they have been in contact with people
infected with strep throat.
Related Strep Throat: Do I Really Need Antibiotics?
Related Strep Throat: Do I Really Need Antibiotics?
