Inaccuracy of House Staff in Reading Throat Cultures
- 8 December 1978
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in JAMA
- Vol. 240 (24) , 2651-2652
- https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1978.03290240051024
Abstract
The low prevalence of streptococcal pharyngitis in our pediatric clinic during a normally high-prevalence period encouraged us to examine the accuracy of throat culture readings made by the house staff. Six pediatric residents processed 256 cultures, which were then reinterpreted by a microbiologist. The residents consistently underread the cultures, failing to identify 68 (60%) of 112 with β-hemolysis and 23 (58%) of 40 with a zone of bacitracin inhibition. This inaccuracy in interpretation of throat cultures emphasizes the physician's need to periodically reassess these skills. (JAMA 240:2651-2652, 1978)Keywords
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