β-HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCAL PHARYNGITIS; DIAGNOSING GROUP A B-HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCAL PHARYNGITIS (STREP THROAT) BY BRISK ANTIGEN DETECTION.

Background: Strep throat is also known as Streptococcal Pharyngitis. It is an infection in back of the throat including tonsils which reasoned by group A Streptococcus (GAS). General signs like fever, red tonsils, sore throat and grow lymph nodes in the neck. Nausea, headache and vomiting may also happen due to Streptococcal Pharyngitis. Objective: The aim of study is to conclude the correctness in discover Group A β-Hemolytic Streptococci (GABHS) through brisk antigen testing evaluate with throat culture methods which are generally used. Materials and Methods: Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore. Period: 1st July 2016 to 31st December 2016. At first throat culture, Streptococcal select agar or sheep blood agar, performed on 192 patients with severe strep throat and after that brisk antigen detection tests, Directigen Group A Strep, was also executed. Statistical investigation contained sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value as well as its prevalence. Results: The prevalence of group A β-hemolytic streptococci is 13.54%. Sensitivity is 96.15%, specificity is 95.18%, positive predictive value is 75.76% along with negative predictive value is 99.37% which shows that a very low percentage of patients with Group A β-Hemolytic Streptococci as <1%. Conclusion: This showed that a very low percentage as <1% of patients with Group A β-Hemolytic Streptococci evade findings by brisk screening test methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]