Rapid detection of Streptococcus pyogenes in skin and soft tissue infections using the Abbott ID NOW™ Strep A 2 isothermal molecular assay

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2026 Mar;114(3):117193. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117193. Epub 2025 Nov 19.

Abstract

This study evaluated the performance of the Abbott ID NOW™ STREP A 2, a rapid isothermal nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), for the detection of Streptococcus pyogenes (S.pyogenes) in non-pharyngeal specimens, primarily from skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). A total of 180 non-pharyngeal samples submitted for bacterial culture were analyzed, comprising 120 culture-positive and 60 culture-negative specimens for S. pyogenes. Compared to culture, the ID NOW assay demonstrated a sensitivity of 99.2 % (95 % CI: 95.4-99.98 %) and a specificity of 100.0 % (95 % CI: 94.0-100.0 %). Although the ID NOW STREP A 2 assay is currently approved only for pharyngeal swab specimens, our findings indicate that it may also be a reliable method for detecting S. pyogenes in SSTI samples.

Keywords: Bacterial/Diagnosis; GAS; Nucleic acid amplification technique; Point-of-care testing; Skin diseases; Streptococcus pyogenes.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques* / methods
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques* / methods
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Skin Diseases, Bacterial* / diagnosis
  • Skin Diseases, Bacterial* / microbiology
  • Soft Tissue Infections* / diagnosis
  • Soft Tissue Infections* / microbiology
  • Streptococcal Infections* / diagnosis
  • Streptococcal Infections* / microbiology
  • Streptococcus pyogenes* / genetics
  • Streptococcus pyogenes* / isolation & purification