Final answer:
A medical assistant would typically perform a streptococcal test using a throat swab from the patient. The lab can use agglutination tests, bacitracin susceptibility, and antimicrobial susceptibility tests (AST) to identify bacterial strains and appropriate antibiotics. Lancefield grouping and hemolysis patterns on Blood Agar Plates are also informative in identifying strains of Streptococcus.
Step-by-step explanation:
A medical assistant would perform a streptococcal test on a patient's throat swab to diagnose conditions such as strep throat. In the laboratory, a technician might use several methods to determine if the infection is staphylococcal or streptococcal. Passive agglutination tests can confirm the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, and bacitracin susceptibility in conjunction with latex agglutination tests can confirm Streptococcus pyogenes.
For the best course of antibiotics treatment, a clinician may order an antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST). This test determines the effectiveness of different antibiotics against the specific strains of bacteria present in the sample given by the patient. In more severe cases, like the spread of infection to the nervous system, a spinal tap may be performed to analyze cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for bacterial infection.
Differentiation of streptococci in the laboratory can involve serological typing into Lancefield groups and observations of hemolysis on Blood Agar Plates. Knowing the strain of bacteria responsible for an infection helps in deciding the appropriate antibiotic therapy, thus ensuring a higher chance of treatment success.