1. Can ASO be used to diagnose strep throat?
A throat culture or a rapid strep test is the best method to diagnose streptococcal pharyngitis. It is important that strep throat be promptly identified and treated to avoid complications and to avoid passing the infection on to others. Since detectible ASO levels do not appear for at least a week, they are not used to diagnose an acute infection.
2. If I am diagnosed with strep, will an ASO always be performed?
No. In general, the ASO test is only performed when a patient has symptoms suggesting that a post-streptococcal complication may have developed and no culture was done to confirm a previous infection with this bacterium. Most people do not experience these complications, so the ASO test is not routinely done.
