Negative antigen test misses &gt:5% of strep pharyngitis.

The article discusses research being done on the American Academy of Pediatric diagnostic standard for Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis. It references a study by K. E. Gieseker and colleagues, published in a 2003 issue of "Pediatrics." A prospective cohort study was carried out that involved 891 children presenting to a large pediatric practice who were suspected of having S. pyogenes pharyngitis. The researchers determined the sensitivity and specificity of four testing strategies. These were the single rapid antigen test performed in office, single rapid antigen test performed in laboratory, result of either rapid antigen test and single rapid antigen test in office plus culture.