Patent ID: 8507203

Claim:
A method of screening a subject for Streptococcus pyogenes comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a body sample from the subject; b) contacting the sample or a bacterial culture of the sample with an aptamer or a panel of aptamers specific to S. pyogenes , wherein the aptamer or the panel of aptamers comprises the nucleic acid sequence as set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1-32, or a nucleic acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% sequence identity therewith over the entire length of said any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1-32; and c) detecting the presence or absence of S. pyogenes in the sample or the bacterial culture, wherein binding of the aptamer or the panel of aptamers is indicative of the presence of S. pyogenes.