Positive rapid strep. negative culture

[Missmom]

I had this happen once with my 3yo, back in Sept. The rapid was a faint line. It was apparent by his sudden-onset, thought, that he definitely had something and Augmentin did a good job of pulling him out.

 

Our ped later explained why she felt that this happened but I can't remember what she said. Something about the strep being "dead cells" meaning that since he had been exposed to azith that week (his usual prophylactic dose), whatever grew back from that was only able to show up on the rapid. I know I am butchering this and I meant to post this on the forum that day to let people know.

 

The other thing is that we did once get staph aureus show up on my 6yo's culture. I am sorry, I don't know what type of culture was ordered but it was ordered a year ago by the local allergist. My 3yo had a staph infection of the skin at the same time. Also, my 3yo's culture came back with enterobacter species of some sort. What a mixed bag that was!

 

All this to say that I do indeed think you should consider this positive for strep. I'm not sure, though, how you will get the sensitivity test. Our recent sensitivitiy report indicated resistence to erythromycin, and they assumed resistence to azith based on that (same class), which would be a correct inference since azith had failed earlier that week.

 

 

My son also had this happen when he was 14 months old. His pediatrician also gave me some excuse about "dead cells" showing up and creating a positive response on the rapid. He said the strep was cured and sent us home. Since my son is my first child and I did not know any better I just went on home and did not think about it again. In hindsight this is probably the event that led to his pandas. So frusterating......

[Jalabuhn]

My 2 kids, husband and myself all came back positive rapid strep. However they cultured it anyways...and NONE of them grew out over night!!!??? Any one have ANY ideas of why or how? We have had MULTIPLE positive streps over the past year. My 6 year old is actually getting her tonsils out in a month because of the streps. However, now I am questioning if she really should have the tonsils out or if we could all be suffering from staph or something that reacts to the strep test...? Help?!