Throat pain is a common complaint in the ambulatory setting.

Diagnosis of group A Streptococcus is made with a culture, molecular test or a rapid antigen detection test from the tonsils or the posterior pharyngeal wall, while other areas of the oral cavity are considered unacceptable.

The purpose of the study is to compare cultures from the tonsils or posterior pharyngeal wall (throat) with cultures from the oral cavity (mouth).

A prospective study conducted in ambulatory care.

Eleven family physicians collected 2 swabs (throat and mouth) from 200 consecutive patients who complaint about throat pain.

Inclusion criteria were throat pain and Centor Criteria > 2. Exclusion criteria were tonsillectomy and age (< 3 or > 65 years old).

Participants were later divided into two groups – pediatrics (3–18 years old) and adults (19–65 year old). Sensitivity and specificity of mouth culture were calculated, with throat culture considered the reference gold standard.