Introducing the Strep A Rapid Test Cassette

What is the Test?

• The Strep A Rapid Test Cassette is a rapid test to qualitatively detect the presence of Strep A antigens
  in throat swab specimens, providing results within 5 minutes.
• The test utilizes antibodies specific for whole cell Lancefield Group A Streptococcus to selectively detect
  Strep A carbohydrate antigens in a throat swab specimen.

*Tests are professional use only under clinical settings.

What is the Disease?

• Streptococcus pyogenes is an aerobic non-motile gram-positive coccus, which contains the Lancefield group
  A antigens that can cause serious infections such as
  pharyngitis, respiratory infection, impetigo, endocarditis,
  meningitis, puerperal sepsis, and arthritis.
• The bacterium is transmitted via respiratory droplets, hand contact and nasal discharge – patients suffering from streptococcal pharyngitis are infective during the acute phase of illness (7-10 days) and up to 1 week afterwards.

Symptoms

• Streptococcus pyogenes causes various infections, with the most common being streptococcal sore throat, marked by fever and swollen tonsils.
• If left untreated, strep throat can persist for 7-10 days and may lead to serious complications like rheumatic fever and peritonsillar abscess.
• Less common infections caused by S. pyogenes include septicaemia, otitis media, mastitis, sepsis, cellulitis, erysipelas, myositis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, meningitis, endocarditis, pericarditis, and neonatal infections.

Mortality/Morbidity – Clinical Implications

• S. pyogenes infections vary by location, with streptococcal pharyngitis most common in temperate climates during
  late winter and early spring.
• Human-to-human transmission, often in crowded settings like schools, leads to over 600 million yearly cases
  of S. pyogenes pharyngitis globally.
• Severe S. pyogenes infections cause at least 517,000 annual deaths worldwide, with rheumatic fever alone
  accounting for 233,000 of these deaths.