types of strep tests- help?

[dcmom]

I took my non pandas daughter to cvs minute clinic to test for strep today.

(It has been going around school, she has been tired, and pandas sister has been having low level issues)

 

They did a quick test, negative. I asked if they would grow the culture for 72 hours. The nurse replied that they do not grow cultures, that they do a "dna probe" at the lab and that this is a newer and effective test, and we will have the results in 24 hrs.

 

Has anyone heard of this? How does this compare to a culture as far as accuracy?

 

It is such an ordeal for her to get a strep test, anything medical causes her great anxiety- I hope I don't have to do it again...

 

thanks.

[ShaesMom]

I took my non pandas daughter to cvs minute clinic to test for strep today.

(It has been going around school, she has been tired, and pandas sister has been having low level issues)

 

They did a quick test, negative. I asked if they would grow the culture for 72 hours. The nurse replied that they do not grow cultures, that they do a "dna probe" at the lab and that this is a newer and effective test, and we will have the results in 24 hrs.

 

Has anyone heard of this? How does this compare to a culture as far as accuracy?

 

It is such an ordeal for her to get a strep test, anything medical causes her great anxiety- I hope I don't have to do it again...

 

thanks.

 

Never heard of it. Let us know if you find out what exactly it is.

[dcmom]

hhmm..

 

I am answering my own post. I found this study- it seems the probe is probably not quite as reliable as the culture, but better than the rapid? I guess we will have to go to the ped instead of cvs minute clinic from now on...

 

any thoughts?

 

http://jcm.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/40/11/4207.com