Group A strep: has point-of-care testing for primary care finally come of age?

Daniels discusses the outbreak of group A streptococcal infections in the UK which highlights the need for accurate and prompt diagnosis of throat infections; a positive diagnosis results in at least 24 hours off work or school for patients, antibiotic prescriptions for the patient and vulnerable contacts, and inevitable concern among wider contacts. This problem has been exacerbated by shortages of antibiotics. Point-of-care tests are now available that have sensitivity and specificity more than 90%, with potential to significantly improve clinical diagnosis and reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.