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The aetiology of pharyngotonsillitis in primary health care: a prospective observational study
Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden; Department of Research and Development, Region Kronoberg, Växjö, Sweden; Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Clinical Research Centre, Malmö, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden; Department of Research and Development, Region Kronoberg, Växjö, Sweden.
Örebro University, School of Medical Sciences. Örebro University Hospital. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Microbiology.
Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden; Futurum, Region Jönköping County, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
2021 (English)In: BMC Infectious Diseases, E-ISSN 1471-2334, Vol. 21, no 1, article id 971Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

BACKGROUND: Few studies on pharyngotonsillitis have examined the clinical presentation of different aetiologies where pathogens have been detected using molecular methods. We aimed to assess how well clinical signs and symptoms can predict (1) the presence or absence of a broad range of viruses and bacteria, and (2) reconsultations for a sore throat or a complication.

METHODS: In this descriptive observational prospective study in primary health care 220 patients aged 15-45 with suspected pharyngotonsillitis were sampled from nose, throat and blood and screened for 20 bacteria and viruses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), culture and serology. Odds ratios (OR) and predictive values with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to show association between microbiological findings and clinical signs and symptoms. Patients were followed up after 3 months by reviewing electronic medical records.

RESULTS: Both cough and coryza were more common in patients with only viruses (67%) than in patients with only bacteria (21%) (p < 0.001), whereas tonsillar coating was more common in patients with only bacteria (53%) than in patients with only viruses (29%) (p = 0.006). Tonsillar coating (adjusted OR 6.0; 95% CI 2.5-14) and a lack of cough (adjusted OR 3.5; 95% CI 1.5-8.0) were significantly associated with Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococci; GAS) and with any bacterial finding. A Centor score of 3-4 had a positive predictive value of 49% (95% CI 42-57) for GAS and 66% (95% CI 57-74) for any bacterial findings. The use of rapid antigen detection test for GAS increased the positive predictive value for this group to 93%.

CONCLUSIONS: Signs and symptoms, both single and combined, were insufficient to rule in GAS or other pathogens. However, both cough and coryza were useful to rule out GAS. The results support the clinical approach of restricting rapid antigen detection testing to patients with 3-4 Centor criteria. The low carriage rate of bacteria among asymptomatic controls implied that most detections in patients represented a true infection.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
BioMed Central (BMC), 2021. Vol. 21, no 1, article id 971
Keywords [en]
Group A streptococci, Pharyngotonsillitis, Predictive values, Primary health care, Symptoms
National Category
Infectious Medicine
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-94567DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06665-9ISI: 000696822800005PubMedID: 34535115Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85115162468OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-94567DiVA, id: diva2:1597380
Funder
Lund University
Note

Funding agencies:

 Region Kronoberg, Sweden

 Nordic Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious diseases (NSCMID)

 South Swedish Region Council

Available from: 2021-09-27 Created: 2021-09-27 Last updated: 2024-01-17Bibliographically approved

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