The quickest way to determine whether a patient has Strep throat is to conduct a rapid antigen test (also called a rapid strep test), where a swab of the back of the throat is collected to see if Group A Streptococci (GAS) bacteria are present. Results of this test can be read in minutes, and a positive reading is a very reliable indication that the patient has Strep throat. On the occasion when a rapid test produces a negative reading that your physician suspects may be false, a secondary form of Strep testing called a throat culture may be performed. Here again, a swab is employed with the goal of collecting secretions from the throat and tonsils. This sample is then sent to a laboratory for evaluation, and it may take a couple of days to learn the results.
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