Does this test have other names?Strep test, throat culture, Streptococcal screen Show
What is this test?This test looks for the bacteria that cause strep throat. This condition causes a severe sore throat and makes it painful to swallow. It's important to find and treat strep throat as soon as possible because it can progress to more serious illnesses, such as rheumatic fever. The bacteria most likely to cause strep throat and bacterial sore throats in general are called Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes (GABHS). This test is a highly reliable way to diagnose strep throat because it has a sensitivity of 90% to 95%. But it's not used as commonly as the rapid antigen test because throat culture results are often not available until 24 to 48 hours later. Why do I need this test?You may need this test if you have symptoms of strep throat, including:
You may also have this test if your tonsils are painfully enlarged and your breath smells very bad. Strep throat is treated with antibiotics. Starting antibiotics right away eases symptoms and can reduce the time you are contagious from 1 week to 1 day. Treatment also prevents rheumatic fever if taken within 10 days after symptoms begin. What other tests might I have along with this test?You may also need these tests:
What do my test results mean?Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, and other things. Your test results may be different depending on the lab used. They may not mean you have a problem. Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean for you. Normal results are negative, meaning you don't have strep throat. If your test result is positive, you almost certainly have strep throat caused by GABHS. If your sore throat lasts longer than a week, you likely have a different illness. If your test is positive, it's important to stay home from work or school until you have been taking your antibiotics for 24 hours. This is so the infection won’t be spread to others. You should start feeling better in 1 to 2 days after starting the antibiotics. Finish the entire prescription even though you are feeling better. How is this test done?The test is done with a sample from your throat. Your healthcare provider will take the sample by swabbing both of your tonsils. Does this test pose any risks?The swabbing may cause a slight discomfort. What might affect my test results?Taking antibiotics can affect your results. How do I get ready for this test?You don't need to prepare for this test. Tell your healthcare provider about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. This includes medicines that don't need a prescription and any illegal drugs you may use. OverviewGroup B strep (streptococcus) is a common bacterium often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. The bacterium is usually harmless in healthy adults. In newborns, however, it can cause a serious illness known as group B strep disease. Group B strep can also cause dangerous infections in adults with certain chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes or liver disease. Older adults are at increased risk of illness due to group B strep, too. If you're a healthy adult, there's nothing you need to do about group B strep. If you're pregnant, get a group B strep screening test during your third trimester. If you have group B strep, antibiotic treatment during labor can protect your baby. SymptomsInfantsMost babies born to women carrying group B strep are healthy. But the few who are infected by group B strep during labor can become critically ill. In infants, illness caused by group B strep can be within six hours of birth (early onset) — or weeks or months after birth (late onset). Signs and symptoms might include:
AdultsMany adults carry group B strep in their bodies — usually in the bowel, vagina, rectum, bladder or throat — and have no signs or symptoms. In some cases, however, group B strep can cause a urinary tract infection or other more-serious infections. Signs and symptoms of infections that may be caused by group B strep include the following. Urinary tract infection
Blood infection (bacteremia)
Pneumonia
Skin or soft-tissue infection
Bone or joint infection
When to see a doctorIf you have signs or symptoms of group B strep infection — particularly if you're pregnant, you have a chronic medical condition or you're older than 65 — contact your doctor right away. If you notice your infant has signs or symptoms of group B strep disease, contact your baby's doctor immediately. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. To provide you with the most relevant and
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opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. CausesMany healthy people carry group B strep bacteria in their bodies. You might carry the bacteria in your body for a short time — it can come and go — or you might always have it. Group B strep bacteria aren't sexually transmitted, and they're not spread through food or water. How the bacteria are spread to anyone other than newborns isn't known. Group B strep can spread to a baby during a vaginal delivery if the baby is exposed to — or swallows — fluids containing group B strep. Risk factorsInfantsAn infant is at increased risk of developing group B strep disease if:
AdultsAdults age 65 and older are at increased risk of group B strep. You're also at increased risk of if you have a condition that impairs your immune system or other serious diseases, including the following:
ComplicationsGroup B strep infection can lead to life-threatening disease in infants, including:
If you're pregnant, group B strep can cause the following:
If you're an older adult or you have a chronic health condition, group B strep bacteria can lead to any of the following conditions:
PreventionIf you're pregnant, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a group B strep screening during weeks 36 to 37 of pregnancy. Your doctor will take swab samples from your vagina and rectum and send them to a lab for testing. A positive test indicates that you carry group B strep. It doesn't mean that you're ill or that your baby will be affected, but that you're at increased risk of passing the bacteria to your baby. To prevent group B bacteria from spreading to your baby during labor or delivery, your doctor can give you an IV antibiotic — usually penicillin or a related drug — when labor begins. If you're allergic to penicillin or related drugs, you might receive clindamycin or vancomycin as an alternative. Because the effectiveness of these alternatives is not well understood, your baby will be monitored for up to 48 hours. Taking oral antibiotics ahead of time won't help because the bacteria can return before labor begins. Antibiotic treatment during labor is also recommended if you:
Vaccine in developmentAlthough it's not available yet, researchers are working on a group B strep vaccine that could help prevent group B strep infections in the future. Sept. 21, 2021 |
For which illness would the nurse would assess the client with an infection caused by Group A b hemolytic streptococci?
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