What are the adult criteria for a Rapid Strep Antigen Test?

The adult criteria for a Rapid Strep Antigen Test include several specific symptoms that help to identify a likely case of streptococcal pharyngitis. The presence of fever, lack of cough, and tonsillar exudates reflects this criteria effectively.

Fever indicates an inflammatory response commonly associated with infections, including streptococcal throat infections. The absence of cough is significant because a cough typically suggests a viral infection rather than a bacterial one like strep. Lastly, tonsillar exudates—white patches or lesions on the tonsils—are characteristic of streptococcal pharyngitis, helping to further differentiate it from other causes of sore throat.

This combination of symptoms provides a clear clinical picture consistent with streptococcal infection, which is crucial for deciding to perform a rapid antigen test for streptococci, hence making option B the correct choice. The other options do not provide the same level of specificity or relevance to streptococcal infections.