Global Point of Care
Webinars
Diagnostic Testing Options
for Pharyngitis
Published August 06, 2025
Summary
For decades, throat culture was the gold standard for diagnosing Group A Streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. Rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs) later offered faster results but lacked sufficient sensitivity in children, necessitating a confirmatory culture. More recently, molecular tests have emerged with high sensitivity and specificity, reducing the need for follow-up testing. This session will review clinical guidelines for who should and should not be tested for pharyngitis, and explore the strengths, limitations, and broader implications—clinical and economic—of each diagnostic method.
Learning Objectives
- Identify current clinical guidelines for diagnostic testing in patients with suspected pharyngitis.
- Compare the advantages and limitations of culture, rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs),
and molecular assays for the detection of Group A Streptococcus (GAS). - Analyze the impact of different testing methodologies on patient outcomes, public health,
and healthcare costs.
CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) CREDITS
- One Professional Acknowledgment for Continuing Education (P.A.C.E.®) contact hour will be provided for this intermediate level complimentary webinar until August 6th, 2026. Rapid Diagnostics at Abbott is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program.
- For participants outside the United States, the recognition of P.A.C.E.® credits is subject to the discretion of the respective national licensing authority, certification agency, or other relevant governing body.
Instructions to Claim P.A.C.E.® Credits
- Access http://ceorganizer.ascls.org/.
- Select either Member or Non-Member log-in box.
- ASCLS members: Log in with the username and password used to enter the Members Section of the ASCLS website.
- Non-members: click the “Register Here” link to create a username and password or use login with existing CE Organizer credentials
- Once logged in:
- Click on “Claim Credit” tab at the top of the page.
- Click on “Other P.A.C.E. Programs” tab.
- Locate 618 Abbott ARDx and click “View Events”.
- Select the session attended by checking the teal box and scroll down to click “Next”.
- Enter the session code provided at the end of the webinar and click “Next”.
- Evaluate the session and click “Complete Survey”.
- Click “Download Certificate Now” to view, print, and save your certificate.
Presenter Biography
Gregory J. Berry, Ph.D., D (ABMM)
Associate Professor of Pathology & Cell Biology,
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons,
Co-Director, Clinical Microbiology Service
Co-Director, Center for Advanced Laboratory Medicine (CALM),
New York-Presbyterian - Columbia University
Irving Medical Center
New York, New York, USA
Who Should Watch
Physicians, Laboratory Supervisors, Laboratory Directors (and/or Assistant Directors), Medical Technologists, Point-of-Care Coordinators, Hospital Admin/C-Suite, Laboratory Managers (Supervisory and/or Non-Supervisory)
