Simplifying Your Workflow for Detecting Group A Streptococcus

Addressing the Growing Need for Testing

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) can cause many different infections. These infections range from minor illnesses to very serious and deadly diseases. Each year the need for testing for GAS is growing. Laboratories face continual pressure to turn around GAS culture results faster while providing accurate results clinicians can use to make informed treatment decisions.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to distinguish growth and isolation characteristics of GAS using different types of prepared culture media plates. Furthermore, you will gain insight into the benefit of using a chromogenic media in the GAS workflow.

Finally, this webinar will present how different types of media perform within an automation workflow, highlighting technology that can improve efficiency and productivity in the processing of clinical samples.

Learning Objectives

This webinar will help you:

• Understand the clinical significance of Group A Streptococcus infections
• Describe the diagnostic methods currently available for GAS
• Learn the benefits of chromogenic media for pathogen screening and diagnostics
• Review the role laboratory automation can have in improving workflow productivity

Watch on Demand       Download Slides (PDF, 2.4MB)

This webinar is produced by Whitehat Communications, a provider of continuing education programs in clinical laboratory sciences that has been approved by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.™ Program. One P.A.C.E. credit hour will be provided for this complimentary, basic-level program.

Nathan Ledeboer, PhD

Dr. Ledeboer is the director of medical and technical activities for the Clinical Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics Laboratories of the Medical College of Wisconsin. In this role, he oversees development and implementation of new assays and sign-out of all testing performed in these laboratories. Ledeboer earned a PhD at the University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine and completed fellowships at the Washington University School of Medicine/Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis. He is board certified in medical microbiology.

Matthew Faron, PhD

Dr. Faron is an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He earned a PhD in genetics from the University of Iowa for his work elucidating the role of the stress response molecule ppGpp in Francisella tularensis virulence gene regulation and characterizing the role of alveolar epithelial cells in early tularemia infections. He currently works as a principal investigator on several clinical trials and serves as a scientific consultant for new product development.