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Are current rapid detection tests for Group A Streptococci sensitive enough? Evaluation of 2 commercial kits

Nerbrand, Christina LU ; Jasir, Aftab LU and Schalén, Claës LU orcid (2002) In Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases 34(11). p.797-799
Abstract
A new, 1-step, enzyme-linked immunoassay kit for detection of Group A Streptococci (GAS) in throat samples (QuickVue In-Line One-Step Strep A Test; Quidel Corporation, San Diego, CA) was evaluated for use in a study comprising 536 patients in 8 primary healthcare centres. Compared to conventional culture at the clinical microbiology laboratory, the sensitivity achieved was 73.9% and the specificity 86.8%; these figures were not affected to any major extent by broth enrichment of samples before culturing or following PCR testing of the cysteine proteinase gene for independent diagnosis of GAS. It was also found that most samples containing low numbers of GAS were missed by the rapid test. We therefore evaluated the kit in use in our area... (More)
A new, 1-step, enzyme-linked immunoassay kit for detection of Group A Streptococci (GAS) in throat samples (QuickVue In-Line One-Step Strep A Test; Quidel Corporation, San Diego, CA) was evaluated for use in a study comprising 536 patients in 8 primary healthcare centres. Compared to conventional culture at the clinical microbiology laboratory, the sensitivity achieved was 73.9% and the specificity 86.8%; these figures were not affected to any major extent by broth enrichment of samples before culturing or following PCR testing of the cysteine proteinase gene for independent diagnosis of GAS. It was also found that most samples containing low numbers of GAS were missed by the rapid test. We therefore evaluated the kit in use in our area (TestPack Plus Strep A Test; Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL) in a separate study of 615 patients. Somewhat increased sensitivity (82.8%) and specificity (96.1%) were obtained. As current antigen tests depend on subjective judgement of test outcome, improvements in test design or provision of more detailed instructions may be desirable in order to achieve optimal results. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
volume
34
issue
11
pages
797 - 799
publisher
Informa Healthcare
external identifiers
  • wos:000180198500001
  • pmid:12578144
  • scopus:0036968632
ISSN
1651-1980
DOI
10.1080/0036554021000026953
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1e188f90-2a99-48ee-bcb4-a4b4094d87dc (old id 320079)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:54:03
date last changed
2023-01-05 03:25:53
@article{1e188f90-2a99-48ee-bcb4-a4b4094d87dc,
  abstract     = {{A new, 1-step, enzyme-linked immunoassay kit for detection of Group A Streptococci (GAS) in throat samples (QuickVue In-Line One-Step Strep A Test; Quidel Corporation, San Diego, CA) was evaluated for use in a study comprising 536 patients in 8 primary healthcare centres. Compared to conventional culture at the clinical microbiology laboratory, the sensitivity achieved was 73.9% and the specificity 86.8%; these figures were not affected to any major extent by broth enrichment of samples before culturing or following PCR testing of the cysteine proteinase gene for independent diagnosis of GAS. It was also found that most samples containing low numbers of GAS were missed by the rapid test. We therefore evaluated the kit in use in our area (TestPack Plus Strep A Test; Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL) in a separate study of 615 patients. Somewhat increased sensitivity (82.8%) and specificity (96.1%) were obtained. As current antigen tests depend on subjective judgement of test outcome, improvements in test design or provision of more detailed instructions may be desirable in order to achieve optimal results.}},
  author       = {{Nerbrand, Christina and Jasir, Aftab and Schalén, Claës}},
  issn         = {{1651-1980}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{797--799}},
  publisher    = {{Informa Healthcare}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases}},
  title        = {{Are current rapid detection tests for Group A Streptococci sensitive enough? Evaluation of 2 commercial kits}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0036554021000026953}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/0036554021000026953}},
  volume       = {{34}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}