Throat: No group A Streptococcus isolated – Shipped 10 Augusts 2015
HISTORY
A simulated throat swab collected from a 13 year old female patient with pharyngitis was sent to category A, B, and C laboratories.
Participants were expected to report ‘no group A streptococcus isolated.’
MAIN EDUCATIONAL POINTS from M152-1
- Negative throat swab reports should always be pathogen specific (i.e. No Group A, C or G streptococci isolated).
- Group B Streptococcus is not recognized as a cause of pharyngitis, and as such, reporting this organism from a throat swab may lead to unnecessarily prescribed antibiotics.
