Negative rapid strep test results must be confirmed with a throat culture, because the rapid strep test is highly specific but not highly sensitive.

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Negative test results should be confirmed with a throat culture; the rapid strep tests are highly specific but not as highly sensitive. This means that if the test results are positive, there is a high degree of confidence that S. pyogenes is in the sample; if the test results are negative, the organism may not have been present in great enough quantity to be detected.

Negative Rapid Strep Test Results Must Be Confirmed with a Throat