New Index for the Discriminationof Acute StreptococcalTonsillopharyngitis and InfectiousMononucleosis: InfectionDiscrimination Index

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to discriminate group A β-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) that cause acute tonsillopharyngitis with a new index called the infection discrimination index (IDI).Material and Methods: Based on the throat culture and viral capsid Ag Ig M results, 110 GABHS-positive children and 52 EBV-positive children were enrolled in the GABHS and EBV groups, respectively. Fifty children who had undergone a medical examination at the pediatric clinic comprised the control group. The IDI means of the three groups (GABHS, EBV, control) were subjected to a statistical comparison.Results: The groups did not significantly differ in terms of sex and age (p: 0.453 and 0.662, respectively). The IDI means of the three groups were significantly different (p