RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF STREPTOCOCCAL TONSILLITIS IN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PRACTICES

Abstract

The aim of the study was to conduct clinical testing of the rapid diagnostic test system «Streptatest» (Dectra Pharm, France) and to evaluate its performance in accordance with its purpose in solving the functional problems of express diagnostics of Group A streptococci. In the work the evaluation of the performance characteristics of the test systems «Streptatest» with an assessment of the feasibility and acceptability of its use in the interests of practical public health have been studied. Materials and methods: Clinical approbation was carried out by examining 200 military personnel contracted for outpatient admission to a medical service with suspected acute tonsillitis for the carriage of Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus using this test system. The following results were obtained during the study. Of 200 examined patients, the number of people with a positive test was 31 (15,5%), negative – 169 (84,5%), which corresponds to the literature data on the prevalence of acute tonsillitis caused by GAS. Before the application of «Streptatest» antibiotic therapy was prescribed in 80-90% of cases, after the start of the use of the test system, the number of antibiotic prescriptions was reduced to 16%, which led to a reduction in the costs of treatment of acute tonsillitis. Test system «Streptatest» is a highly effective and sufficiently reliable medical device, the ease of using test strips and a simple evaluation of the results of the study are its advantages. The indication for the application of the rapid diagnostic test system is the request for medical care of a patient with clinical signs of acute tonsillitis, tonsillopharyngitis, pharyngitis. The social significance lies in obtaining a reliable result with the simplicity and ease of working with the test system. Conclusions. Estimating the prevalence of streptococcal group A infections in organized groups, providing rapid differential diagnosis, primarily of tonsillitis and viral streptococcal etiology, allows timely and adequate appointment of the necessary treatment, reduce the risk of complications and reduce the severity of the disease, reduce the economic costs of medical care .