• 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 2  (7976) , 61-63
Abstract
A striking difference in the detection of a heavy growth of Streptococcus pyogenes in throat swabs taken from 1054 children with pharyngitis compared with those from 462 normal children was demonstrated when a standardized quantitative culture technique was used. In patients with pharyngitis 71% of the isolates were heavy; a heavy culture was obtained in only 1.7% of healthy children. A significant correlation between the clinical observations suggestive of streptococcal pharyngitis and the results of culture was confined to those patients whose throat swabs yielded a heavy growth of streptococci. Bacteriological examination is of value as a diagnostic test only when the results of culture are quantitatively assessed.

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