Can the test also be false positive?
The Scarlet Rapid Test, like any other test, may give false positive results. The reason for this can be impurities that are already present in the test utensils. But also the smear itself can cause a false positive result.
Thus there are different types of streptococci, the scarlet fever causing pathogens. The rapid test normally only detects streptococci A. However, in some cases positive test results have already been obtained, even though affected persons had a different strain of streptococci in their throat. The antibiotic treatment following the positive test result is, however, also useful in the case of colonization with other streptococci.
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