STREP A TEST 25 RIGHTSIGN TAPES

The Strep A test is a rapid test used to detect group A β-hemolytic Streptococcus in a pharyngeal sample .

Nasopharyngeal sample

MATERIALS PROVIDED

• 25 streptococcal A detection strips
• 25 tubes
• 1 reagent A (2M Sodium Nitrate)
• 1 reagent B (0.027M Citric Acid)
• 1 positive control (Non-viable Strep A; 0.09% NaN3)
• 1 negative control (Non-viable Strep C; 0.09% NaN3)
• 25 sterile swabs for sample collection
• 1 pipe placement stator
• 1 insert with instructions

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE TEST

Group B hemolytic streptococcus is a major cause of upper respiratory tract infections such as tonsillitis, pharyngitis and smallpox. Early diagnosis and treatment of group A streptococcal pharyngitis has been shown to reduce the severity of symptoms and further complications, such as rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis (1).

Conventional methods used to detect the disease are based on the isolation and subsequent identification of the organism. These methods usually take 24-48 hours to complete. Recent advances in immunological techniques (3,4) that can detect group A streptococcal antigen directly from pharyngeal swabs allow physicians to diagnose the disease early and treat it immediately.

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Sensitivity: 94.4% (CI: 88.7% – 97.7%)

Specialty: 97.3% (CI: 95.1% – 98.6%)

Relative accuracy: 96.6% (CI: 94.6% – 98.0%)