Strep throat is one of the few throat infections found in about 20 to 30% of children and only about 5 to 15% of adults. Strep throat can be mild or extremely severe as well and can come with other illnesses as well.
What Is Strep Throat?
Strep throat is one of the most commonly found illnesses caused due to group A streptococcal bacteria and are also known as streptococcal pharyngitis. Strep throat has some common symptoms such as; Pain while swallowing, nausea, sore throat, or even swollen tonsils. Doctors often carry out Strep tests to determine whether a person has a strep infection or not. Home strep test kits cost up to $60, whereas they can cost a lot at hospitals & urgent care clinics.
Types Of Strep:
These are often referred to as different variants of streptococcus bacteria. They are of 3 types; Group A, Group B, Group C, and Group G.
Group A Strep (GAS):
This type of infection affects the throat and the skin and this type can be asymptomatic as well. This group of bacteria is the cause of strep throat, in addition, GAS can also cause other illnesses such as scarlet fever or even Impetigo (skin infection that appears as a thick, yellow crust). These can pass on from one person to the other through direct contact with mucus or infected skin only.
Group B strep (GBS):
This variant affects the gastrointestinal tract in the human body. These usually pass from mothers to their babies during birth or breastfeeding. To prevent this, antibiotics are provided during the birthing process. GBS can also cause illnesses such as; pneumonia, joint and bone diseases, etc.
Group C & Group G strep:
These groups are rarely found in humans. This variant is found in animals. These can affect humans through raw milk or contact with infected animals.
What Is Strep Test?
As stated previously, doctors often carry out Strep tests to test whether the patient has a strep throat infection or not. These tests are done to detect GAS infections. The test can be of two types:
- Rapid antigen test
- Throat culture
The rapid antigen test (RAT) involves taking a swab of the back of the throat and the results are available within 15 to 20 minutes. The rapid antigen test detects group A strep infection and if the results are positive, further testing is not required and you may start taking antibiotics. However, a negative result is not always true and hence, doctors recommend taking a Throat culture to get accurate results.
A throat culture is more accurate than a rapid antigen test. This test is done to detect infections that could cause severe problems. Results are often available within a period of 24 to 48 hours.
To detect group B strep, different tests are done. It involves using a large swab and collecting samples from the rectum. The results are available in a period of 1 to 3 days.
When To Get a Strep Test?
A doctor will usually order a strep test when the patient has one or more of the several symptoms that are found during a strep throat infection.
The symptoms can be the following:
- Recurrent sore throat
- Fever of 101°F or more
- Nausea or vomiting
- Severe pain while swallowing
- Headaches or body aches
- Swollen throat or lymph nodes
- Hoarseness lasting more than 2 weeks
However, strep throat can get better by itself but it is recommended to get a test done if the symptoms last for more than a week. It is important to find the type of strep infection and get started with antibiotics.
How Much Does a Strep Test Cost?
It is found that for urgent care, a strep test costs about $130 on average without insurance and including the doctor’s service fee.
Strep tests in hospitals can cost a lot, it can cost up to $350 or even up to $400 on an average for a level 1 emergency room visit (strep test is often considered a level 1 emergency).
However, a home test kit is much more reasonable. These kits can be bought from pharmaceutical stores nearby. For example; a strep test kit costs about $59 at Walgreens.
The cost of strep tests can vary from place to place and it is best to contact nearby medical stores or consult local doctors to get a better idea about the cost of a strep test and how it needs to be done.
Conclusion:
A strep test helps identify infections caused due to bacteria known as streptococcus. A strep test can vary in cost from place to place and it is best to seek medical guidance to get accurate results.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q) Are strep infections common in children?
It is found that strep infections caused due to group A strep is more commonly found in children of ages 5 to 15 and group B strep are found in babies whose mother is affected by strep bacteria.
Q) Is performing strep tests at home safe?
Yes, it is safe and cost-efficient to perform strep tests at home, however, they come with risks. Strep tests performed at home can be inaccurate and can show false results. It is better to seek medical guidance and get accurate results.
