If a patient is diagnosed with strep throat, they were probably exposed to which type of bacteria?
If a patient is diagnosed with strep throat, they were probably exposed to Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria.
If a patient is diagnosed with strep throat, they were probably exposed to a type of bacteria called Streptococcus pyogenes.
To determine the bacteria responsible for strep throat, the most common causative agent is a group of bacteria known as Streptococcus pyogenes, also referred to as Group A Streptococcus (GAS). The identification of the specific bacteria can be done through laboratory testing, such as a throat culture or a rapid strep test.
When a patient presents with symptoms of strep throat, the doctor or healthcare professional will typically collect a sample from the back of the throat using a sterile swab. This swab is then sent to a laboratory for testing. In the laboratory, the sample is streaked onto a culture plate or processed using a rapid test kit.
In the case of a culture plate, the sample is incubated under specific conditions that allow any bacteria present to grow. After the incubation period, the resulting colonies are examined and identified based on their appearance and properties. Bacteria that appear as small, round, grayish-white colonies are further tested to confirm if they are Streptococcus pyogenes.
If a rapid test kit is used, the sample is mixed with a reagent. The reagent contains substances that react specifically with the antigens found on the surface of Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria. If these antigens are present in the sample, the reagent will produce a visible color change or another detectable signal, indicating the presence of Streptococcus pyogenes.
Both methods, the culture plate and the rapid test, aim to detect the presence of Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria. If the test results are positive for this bacterium, it confirms that the patient has been exposed to Streptococcus pyogenes and has strep throat.