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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1969 May; 17(5): 682-684
Copyright © 1969 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Detection of Group A Streptococci in Throat Swabs by Direct Fluorometry

U. S. Public Health Service, Health Services and Mental Health Administration, National Communicable Disease Center, Streptococcus Unit, Atlanta, Georgia 30333

ABSTRACT

A direct fluorometric test for the rapid detection of group A streptococci from throat swabs was compared with the microscopic fluorescent-antibody test. Formalinized throat swab cultures (490) were examined by the two methods, and the results agreed on 84% of the specimens. In another comparison, 15-hr broth cultures of 103 freshly taken throat swabs were tested by both methods. Of the specimens tested, 101 (98%) were either positive or negative by both methods. In all cases, the latter results correlated with the demonstration of presence or absence of group A streptococci in the specimens by cultural isolation and precipitin grouping tests. It may be feasible to use the direct fluorometric test in a diagnostic laboratory as described or possibly to adapt it for automatic processing of throat swab cultures.