UMEM Educational Pearls

Some Pearls concerning Strep Throat in Kids:
  • Only treat strep pharyngitis after confirmed via rapid antigen test or culture
  • Remember the rapid antigen test has high specificity, but low sensitivity.  All negative rapid antigen tests should be followed up with a confirmatory culture
  • Traditionally, strep pharyngitis was treated with penicillin V, 250mg PO tid for children and 500 mg tid for adolescents. This was then changed to bid dosing.
  • Now, consider treating with amoxicillin, 50mg/kg once daily (max 1000mg). Once daily dosing and better taste improve compliance 
 

References

Committee on infectious diseases. Red book 2012.