Group A Streptococcus (Streptococcus A) is a kind of carnivorous bacteria. It enters the body mainly through wounds or inflamed throats.
It has a strong reproductive capacity in the human body and can rapidly produce a variety of large amounts of toxins, eroding muscles and body tissues (biting through tissues, muscles or vessel walls). Group A Streptococcus spread rapidly (can die in a short time, toxic shock), mainly leading to necrotizing fasciitis, scarlet fever, neonatal sepsis, meningitis, puerperal fever, organ failure and other complications. After the disease, it often leaves ugly ulcerated wounds, tissue and scars after excision. According to different C antigens, 18 families of A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S and T1 can be classified. Most of the human pathogens belong to group A, which is also called Streptococcus pyogenes. In addition, Streptococcus A can also be a complication of skin diseases.
OTC rapid strep test is a rapid immunochromatographic assay for the qualitative detection of group A pyogenic Streptococcus antigen in pharyngeal swabs.
Group A streptococcus is the main pathogen causing pharyngitis. Accurate diagnosis of the pathogen is an important condition for correct treatment of the disease. Streptococcus infection should be treated with antibiotics, if not treated, may cause serious sequelae such as rheumatic fever.
The traditional method for detecting group A streptococcus infection is to culture throat swab specimens for 24-48 hours and confirm that the beta hemolytic colony is group A streptococcus. The positive results can be obtained by observing the sensitivity of microorganisms on sheep blood agar plate to bacitracin. Based on the specificity of carbohydrate antigen group, immunological diagnosis of group A Streptococcus can be made.
OTC rapid strep test uses immunochromatographic method, and the antibodies used are specific to group A streptococcus. The design of the experiment can extract the antigen from the reagent without any transfer steps. The sample is completely contained in the test card, and the result can be obtained in 5 minutes.
