Identification of group a beta hemolytic streptococics (AGBHS) growing in throat cultures by different methods

Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) are among the agents frequently isolated from upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). S.pyogenes is the main bacterial cause of pharyngitis in people of all ages. The age at which infection occurs in children is between the ages of 0 and 18. In order to shorten the duration of symptoms, reduce contamination by contact with the environment, and prevent the development of complications, microbiological identification of GABHS pharyngitis in children, early treatment, and cost-effectiveness are very important. Bacteriological and conventional methods, which are the gold standard, are used to identify the microorganism. While the bacteriological culture method applied for this purpose seems to be a cheap cost, in the precise identification of the agent; sensitivity/resistance to bacitracin, SXT and optochin, serological identification with Strep Group antigen kits, rapid antigen recognition card test kits and automated systems are used. These additional tests used increase the cost considerably and prolong the laboratory diagnosis time. Selective CHROMagar StrepA, a chromogenic culture medium introduced to shorten the bacteriological diagnosis time, can directly qualitatively detect Streptococcus pyogenes according to the colony pigmentation (orange-red pigmentation) formed in the medium. In the study; It is aimed to use CHROMagar StrepA for rapid isolation and differentiation directly from the primary culture in throat culture, to report the identified pathogens to the relevant clinic and to initiate a rational effective drug treatment, and to compare the culture results obtained with the CHROMagar StrepA method with the standard throat culture method. Throat cultures of 300 throat swab samples sent to Fethi Sekin Training and Research Hospital Microbiology Laboratory from various clinics/polyclinics were performed using both conventional and CHROMagar StrepA chromogenic (CHROMagar StrepA Medium) media. As a result of the study, routine conventional throat culture results were compared with CHROMagar StrepA medium throat culture results. The data obtained after the study were examined statistically and significance levels were determined. SPSS program version 22.0 was used for statistical analysis. The data obtained in the study were given as mean ± SD. For intergroup comparisons, parametric data were evaluated with Student's P test and nonparametric data were evaluated with chi-square test. P<0.05 level was considered statistically significant.