Delayed Culture of Group-A Streptococci: An Evaluation Of Variables in Methods of Examining Throat Swabs

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The effects on the frequency of isolation of group-A streptococci from throat swabs of school children were studied with 3 variables: plating the cultures within 4 h of collecting the swabs or after storage for 4 days at room temperature; using a plain or a serum-coated cotton swab; and including silica gel in the swab tube or omitting this. Under the conditions of the experiment, only delayed plating of the swab gave a statistically significant advantage. When the delayed-isolation technique was used, neither the swab type nor the presence or absence of silica gel significantly influenced the result. The least advantageous combination of variables was: plating within 4 h, a plain swab and the absence of silica gel.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: