Frequently Asked Questions
What
swabs can be used with the Clearview Strep
A test?
Any polyester
(Dacron-tipped) swabs can be used (like the ones supplied in the
test). It is not possible to use calcium alginate swabs.
Can saliva or sputum samples
be used with the Clearview Strep A Test?
No. The test has only been
validated for throat swab samples.
If I want to perform
bacterial culture in addition to the Clearview Strep A test do
I need to take two swabs from the patient?
Two swabs may be taken but
it is possible to use the same throat swab to perform both
tests. Inoculate the blood agar plate first and then perform
the Clearview Strep A. It is not possible to
perform bacterial culture after the Clearview Strep
A test because the organisms will have been killed during
the extraction procedure.
Can the kit be
used directly from the fridge?
No. All components
should be allowed to equilibrate at 18°C to 30°C for a minimum of
30 minutes before use. Clearview Strep A can be
stored at room temperature; the temperature storage range is 2°C to
30°C.
The
test has appeared but it is fainter than the control line.
How should this result be interpreted?
The presence of a test line
no matter what strength is indicative of a positive result
providing that the test was read at the correct read time.
The strength of the test line depends on the amount of
Streptococcus group A antigen in the sample; hence low-level
antigen would result in a weak test line being generated.
A Patient
was recently treated with antibiotics but still shows a positive
result with Clearview Strep A. Bacterial culture was
negative.
Clearview Strep A is an antigen detection
test for Streptococcus group A so will detect both viable and
non-viable organisms. The positive result is due to
non-viable Streptococcus group A organisms which have not yet
cleared from the body. The same is true for any other rapid Strep A
test.