ABSTRACT
This was a cross sectional study to estimate the prevalence of Group AStreptococcal (GAS) infection among children with acute sore throat and to compare results of Rapid antigen detection test (RADT) with throat culture. Children aged 3-15 years who presented with acute sore throat (throat pain ± redness of pharynx, palate, tonsils), whose parents were willing to participate in the study by giving a written consent were included. Two sterile throat swabs were taken by vigorously rubbing the tonsils or posterior pharyngeal wall, one for RADT (cerTEST Strep Acard test) and 2nd for bacterial culture. The samples were sent to the in-hospital NABLcertified laboratory (SRLLtd). The results of RADT were obtained within 15 minutes while the culture report was available after 72 hours. During the 7 months study period we took 90 throat samples from 86 children. Of these 26 were RADT positive and 22 were culture positive. The prevalence of GAS by RADT was 28.88% and by culture was 25.56%. The sensitivity and specificity of RADTwas 95.65% and 94.02 % respectively. Since the RADThad high sensitivity and specificity and the results were available within 15 minutes, the need for throat swab culture (with additional cost and delay in results) could be avoided. Appropriate antibiotic may be started on the basis of RADT. If RADTis negative culture should be sent.
ABSTRACT
Resistance to broad spectrum beta lactams, mediated by extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESbetaL) and AmpC betaL enzymes is an increasing problem worldwide. Presence of these in clinical infections can result in treatment failure if one of the second or third generation cephalosporins is used. Therefore, it is recommended that any ESbetaL-producing organism according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) criteria can be reported as resistant to all extended spectrum beta lactam antibiotics regardless of the susceptibility test results. In this study, a total of 250 Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates were subjected to Double disc test and AmpC disc test for the detection of ESbetaL- and AmpC betaL-producing strains, respectively. Prevalence of ESbetaL- and AmpC betaL-producing strains among E. coli isolates, over a 3-month-period in the hospital-based population of Jaipur, was 64.80% (162/250). AmpC betaL producers were 24.00% (60/250) and co-existence of ESbetaL and AmpC betaL was detected in 8.00% (20/250) of the isolates.