Prima Strep A Throat Test

Product Information

If someone keeps getting a sore throat after taking the right antibiotics, they may be a strep carrier and have a viral throat infection. Talk to a doctor if you think you or your child may be a strep carrier. Serious complications are not common ACOG: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [Internet]. Washington D.C.: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; c2019. Group B Strep and Pregnancy; 2019 Jul [cited 2019 Nov 19]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Group-B-Strep-and-Pregnancy If you have questions about your results or your child's results, talk to your health care provider. Cases of GAS usually increase during the winter and the last time significant numbers of cases were reported was in the 2017 to 2018 season. Seasons with high cases can occur every 3 to 4 years but social distancing measures implemented during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may have interrupted this cycle and explain the current increase being observed. The number of weekly notifications of iGAS in children has decreased. However, in older age groups, particularly those over 65 years old, infections have not slowed at the same rate and we are monitoring this closely. As with previous seasons, over recent weeks the majority of iGAS cases continue to be in those over 45 years.

Invasive group A strep ( iGAS) infections remain rare but are currently higher than we see in a typical year. So far this season, there have been 159 iGAS cases in children aged 1 to 4 compared to 194 cases in that age group across the whole year of the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018. There have been 118 cases in children aged 5 to 9 years compared to 117 across the whole year of the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018. The majority of iGAS cases continue to be in those over 45 years.

The number of weekly notifications of invasive group A strep ( iGAS) in children has slowed. While iGAS is still very rare, notifications remain relatively high in children compared to what we typically see. There has been a rise in older age groups in recent weeks and as with previous seasons, over recent weeks the majority of iGAS cases continue to be in those aged over 45 years.

In some people, the bacteria live in the body without causing symptoms or making them feel unwell. But they can still pass the bacteria on to others. While invasive group A streptococcus ( iGAS) is still a very rare infection, notifications are slightly higher than we would expect at this time of year and remain relatively high in children compared to what we typically see. As in previous seasons, the majority of iGAS cases have continued to be among those aged over 45 years, particularly in those aged over 75 years.

What happens during a strep A test?

It is important that we continue to help stop the spread of all germs in the community and to vulnerable groups. Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue, and keep your home well ventilated. If you are unwell with any infection, you should avoid visiting vulnerable people, and stay away from school, nursery or work if you are unwell with a fever. If you or your child has a strep A infection, you should stay away from nursery, school or work for 24 hours after you start taking antibiotics. This will help stop the infection spreading to other people. So far this season (from 12 September 2022 to 16 April 2023), there have been 54,394 notifications of scarlet fever. In the last comparable high season (from September 2017 to September 2018), there were 30,768 scarlet fever notifications overall across the year.