QUICK DETECTION OF CHILDREN'S ACUTE STREPTOCOCCAL TONSILLOPHARYNGITIS

Abstract

Acute tonsillopharyngitis (ATP) and the most frequent cause of bacterial ATP, group A β-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS), an airborne disease that only affects humans, are the topics of this article. Up to 40 % of pediatric patients are affected, and school-age children are most frequently affected, with a peak frequency between the ages of 6 and 11. Because the symptoms of the streptococcal and viral variants of GABHS are identical, determining ATP of GABHS origin is difficult. Irrational use of antibacterial medication has been shown to raise the risk of antibiotic resistance, patient problems, and the strain on medical staff and the healthcare system. Simultaneously, GABHS in the pharynx is almost eliminated by antibiotic therapy of acute streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis performed in compliance with clinical guidelines, which greatly lowers the risk of sequelae. There is evidence to support the significance of actively implementing diagnostic assays that enable the quick (5–10 min) distinction between streptococcal and viral causes of ATP. Express testing for the detection of group A streptococcus antigens in a smear from the back wall of the pharynx using test systems based, in particular, on the immunochromatography method ("Express Test"), the "gold standard" for diagnosing streptococcal ATP, is a straightforward and trustworthy way to confirm the streptococcal etiology of ATP. Using this method does not require additional training for medical personnel. The "Express test" findings enable prompt and appropriate prescription of the required treatment for the patient.