Who it is for
Is this strep A test right for you?
Most sore throats are caused by viruses and pass without treatment; antibiotics do nothing for them. A smaller share is caused by group A streptococcus, the bacterium behind strep throat and scarlet fever, and that is the sore throat doctors treat with antibiotics to prevent complications. This strep A test at home tells the two apart in about fifteen minutes. People use it when they have:
- A red, swollen or very sore throat
- Swollen tonsils
- Body aches or headache with the sore throat
- Nausea, vomiting or listlessness, especially in a child
Why it matters. Strep throat is treated with antibiotics to prevent severe complications such as rheumatic fever. A viral sore throat is not.
- A child with a sore throatAn adult takes the swab
- Scarlet fever at school or nurseryThe same bacterium is the cause
- Before asking for antibioticsFind out whether they would help
- A sore throat that is not improvingCheck for a bacterial cause
What it measures
What this strep A test tells you, and what it does not
It tells you
- Whether group A streptococcus is present in your throat
- A positive result means Strep A was present in the throat sample, and a doctor should decide on treatment
- From a throat swab you take yourself, in about fifteen minutes, at home
It does not tell you
- Which virus or other germ is the cause, if the result is negative
- That strep A is ruled out when the swab missed the tonsils and the sore areas, or the amount was too small to detect
- Whether you need an antibiotic. That decision is your doctor’s
Contents
What is in the box
- 1 × test strip in a sealed foil pouch
- 1 × sterile swab
- 1 × sterile wooden tongue depressor
- 1 × dropper bottle No. 1 blue cap, 1 mL of extraction solution
- 1 × dropper bottle No. 2 green cap, 1 mL of extraction solution
- 1 × extraction tube and tube rack
- 1 × instructions for use in seven languages
- 1 × desiccant bag discard it, do not use it
Everything you need is in the box except a timer and a mirror. No finger prick, no blood.
Very important: extraction solution No. 1 is harmful if swallowed. Keep the kit away from children, do not eat, drink or smoke while testing, and wash your hands afterwards. If liquid touches the eyes, skin or other mucous membranes, rinse at once with plenty of water and contact a doctor. If any of it is swallowed, seek medical advice at once and take the box and the instructions for use with you.
How it works
Four steps, about fifteen minutes
01
Swab the back of the throat
Very important: press the tongue down, and rub the swab around the tonsils and over any red or sore areas. Do not touch the cotton tip with your fingers. Someone else can take the swab for you.
02
Add both solutions and wait 2 to 5 minutes
Very important: put the swab into the tube, add six drops from dropper bottle No. 1 (blue cap), then six drops from dropper bottle No. 2 (green cap). Twirl the swab about ten times against the wall of the tube, leave it for at least 2 and at most 5 minutes, then squeeze it out against the tube as you remove it.
03
Put the strip into the tube
Hold the strip by the blue end, do not touch the absorbent pad, and stand it in the tube with the extract.
04
Read after 5 to 10 minutes
Leave the strip in the tube. Read the result as soon as the time is up, and not after 10 minutes. Set a timer.
Instructions for useWatch the video demonstration
On the clock: the fifteen minutes, step by step
- Swab
Tonsils and sore areas, then into the tube.
- 6 + 6 drops
Bottle No. 1, then No. 2. Twirl the swab ten times.
- Wait, then squeeze
Leave the swab in, then press it out and discard it.
- React
Strip into the tube for 5 to 10 minutes.
- At once
Read immediately. Do not interpret after 10 minutes.
Your result
How to read your strep A test result
Two lines on the strip means strep A was found. One line means it was not. A faint test line still counts as a line. The pictures below show each result.
Strep A found positive
Two lines appear. Group A streptococcus is present in the throat. See your doctor.
Faint test line positive
The test line is paler than the control line. It still counts: the result is positive. See your doctor.
Not found negative
Only the control line appears, close to the blue end. Strep A was not found, or the amount was too small to detect.
Invalid repeat
No line near the blue end. The result cannot be read; repeat with a new test and a new swab.
A faint test line still counts as a line — the intensity of the colour does not matter. Read within 5 to 10 minutes of putting the strip in. The pictures are for illustration purposes; the actual lines may differ in intensity.
Next step
What to do with your result
If strep A was found
See your doctor and show the result. Strep throat is usually treated with antibiotics, which also prevents the complications.
If it was not found
The sore throat is most likely viral, or the sample did not hold enough bacteria to detect. If the symptoms persist or get worse, see your doctor.
The technology
What happens on the strip
All of it happens in the tube and on a paper strip, in about fifteen minutes.
- The extraction
The two solutions release a marker of group A streptococcus from the bacteria on the swab into the liquid.
- Antibodies find the marker
The strip carries antibodies tagged with a dye. As the liquid rises along the strip, they bind to the strep A marker in it.
- The test line
A second antibody fixed on the strip catches those complexes. When strep A is present, a red-purple line appears.
- The control line
The excess reagent is caught near the blue end whatever the sample holds. This line only means that the test was performed well. No control line, no result.
This test has been used by professionals for more than 10 years. It gives one answer — detected or not detected.
Quality
Made in France, checked batch by batch
30+
years of diagnostic expertise — rapid tests made in France since 1991
- ISO 13485The international quality-management standard for organisations that design, manufacture and service medical devices
- Every batch checkedDefined checks completed before a batch is released
- Monitored after releasePerformance tracked for as long as the batch is on the market
Notified body 0483ISO 13485Made in FranceCE-marked IVD
The Patris Health promise. No valid result? Write to us and we replace the test or refund the purchase price. It applies whenever the test was performed as the instructions describe, and we do not argue about it.
Specification
Technical data for the strep A test
| Intended use | Qualitative immunochromatographic test for group A streptococcus antigen in a throat swab, for self-testing by lay users |
|---|---|
| Analyte | Group A streptococcus antigen |
| Method | Lateral flow immunoassay |
| Result type | Qualitative — antigen detected or not detected |
| Sample | Throat swab |
| Time to result | Extraction 2 to 5 minutes; read 5 to 10 minutes after inserting the strip |
| Agreement | 96.4 % overall agreement with reference methods (95 % CI 93.28–98.27 %) |
| Storage | 4 to 30 °C, do not freeze |
| Expiry date | Indicated on the label and the foil pouch |
| Device type | CE-marked in-vitro diagnostic medical device (IVD) for self-testing |
| Certificates | CE 0483 · ISO 13485 |
Questions
Asked before ordering
How accurate is a strep A test at home compared with the laboratory?+
In the evaluation studies, the test agreed with reference methods in 96.4 % of cases (95 % CI 93.28–98.27 %). It is a method professionals have used for more than ten years. The result depends on the swab: it has to reach the tonsils and the sore areas. As with any screening test, false positive or false negative results are possible.
Can I use it on my child?+
Yes. An adult takes the swab. Take particular care with children under two, and keep the solutions out of reach: solution No. 1 is harmful if swallowed.
Is taking the swab difficult?+
It takes a few seconds in front of a mirror. Tilt the head back, open wide, hold the tongue down with the depressor, and rub the swab around the tonsils and any red areas. It may make you gag briefly; that is normal.
Does a negative result mean I do not need a doctor?+
A negative result means strep A was not found, and the sore throat is most likely viral. If the symptoms persist or get worse, see your doctor.
Why did I get an invalid result?+
Usually because the strip got wet before use, or the steps were not followed in order: six drops of each solution, 2 to 5 minutes with the swab, then the strip for 5 to 10 minutes.
How do I dispose of the test?+
All components can go in household waste. Wash your hands afterwards.
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025a, August 7). About rheumatic fever. https://www.cdc.gov/group-a-strep/about/rheumatic-fever.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025b, December 10). About scarlet fever. https://www.cdc.gov/group-a-strep/about/scarlet-fever.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025c, November 18). Clinical guidance for group A streptococcal pharyngitis. https://www.cdc.gov/group-a-strep/hcp/clinical-guidance/strep-throat.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026, January 15). About strep throat. https://www.cdc.gov/group-a-strep/about/strep-throat.html
Health Service Executive. (2025, February 21). Sore throat: Symptoms, causes and treatments. https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/sore-throat/
Last reviewed 2 October 2026
Instructions for use
Patris Health Strep A Home Test
Detection of Group A streptococcus in throat infection. CE-marked in-vitro diagnostic medical device for self-testing.
This is the English part of the multi-language instructions for use. The printed instructions in the box carry the same text in seven languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Slovenian. If the version printed on the instructions in your box differs from this one, follow the instructions in your box.
Precautions and test components
Read this before you start: safety, storage and what is in the kit.
Testing procedure
Step by step, with a picture for each step.
Interpretation of the results
How to read your result, with pictures.
About the test
Background, questions and answers, accuracy.
Questions about the test: help@patris-health.com
Instructions for use STRPAV01, January 2024 · © Patris Health. Copying and reproduction are not permitted.
