How is Group A Streptococcal Disease diagnosed and treated?
Persons with sore throats should be seen by a doctor and have a “strep screen” or culture performed to determine whether the illness is strep throat. Invasive Group A Streptococcus is diagnosed when Streptococcus pyogenes is cultured from the blood, spinal fluid, joint, lung, or heart fluids. Many different antibiotics can be used to treat GAS. Supportive care in the intensive care unit may be required for people with severe illness. Surgery is often needed for people with damaged tissue due to necrotizing fasciitis. Early treatment with antibiotics may reduce the risk of death from invasive disease. However, in some instances even the best medical care cannot prevent death in every case.
