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JEMBEC™ Group A Selective Strep Agar with 5% Sheep Blood (ssA™)
Cat. # Desc. Qty. Unit
221936 JEMBEC™ Group A Selective Strep Agar with 5% Sheep Blood (ssA™) 20 SP
Intended Use:

Group A Selective Strep Agar with 5% Sheep Blood (ssA) is recommended as a primary selective plating medium for the isolation of group A streptococci (S. pyogenes) from throat cultures and other specimens in which the presence of S. pyogenes is suspected. Group B streptococci will also grow on this medium; most other streptococci, neisseriae, staphylococci and gram-negative bacteria are inhibited. The medium is designed for use in conjunction with Taxo A (bacitracin, 0.04 unit) discs for presumptive identification of S. pyogenes.

Catalog # Description Quantity Unit
221936 JEMBEC™ Group A Selective Strep Agar with 5% Sheep Blood (ssA™) 20 SP

BBL™ Group A Selective Strep Agar with 5% Sheep Blood (ssA™)
Revision: 07    Revision Date: 05/01/2006   
Intended Use: «

Group A Selective Strep Agar with 5% Sheep Blood (ssA) is recommended as a primary selective plating medium for the isolation of group A streptococci (S. pyogenes) from throat cultures and other specimens in which the presence of S. pyogenes is suspected. Group B streptococci will also grow on this medium; most other streptococci, neisseriae, staphylococci and gram-negative bacteria are inhibited. The medium is designed for use in conjunction with Taxo A (bacitracin, 0.04 unit) discs for presumptive identification of S. pyogenes.

Intended Use: » Intended Use:

Group A Selective Strep Agar with 5% Sheep Blood (ssA) is recommended as a primary selective plating medium for the isolation of group A streptococci (S. pyogenes) from throat cultures and other specimens in which the presence of S. pyogenes is suspected. Group B streptococci will also grow on this medium; most other streptococci, neisseriae, staphylococci and gram-negative bacteria are inhibited. The medium is designed for use in conjunction with Taxo A (bacitracin, 0.04 unit) discs for presumptive identification of S. pyogenes.

Product Summary: «

Infection with Lancefield group A streptococci (S. pyogenes) may produce serious sequelae such as rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis. Therefore, early detection and identification are important.

Because of the overgrowth of normal flora present in throat culture specimens inoculated onto routine blood agar plates, selective ingredients have been added to sheep blood agar to enhance the detection of group A streptococci.

Evaluation of various antimicrobial agents in our laboratories resulted in a combination with improved selectivity over other selective media tested. This medium (ssA) allows presumptive identification of group A streptococci, based on bacitracin susceptibility and beta hemolysis, within 24 h after inoculation with the specimen when the medium is incubated in a CO2-enriched atmosphere.1

The JEMBEC™ system offers a convenient CO2 atmosphere for an individual plate. It consists of the selective culture medium (ssA) in a rectangular plate with a special well to hold a CO2-generating tablet. A resealable plastic bag is provided to maintain the CO2-enriched environment during incubation. The system may be inoculated and incubated at the site of specimen collection or used for specimen transport and growth of S. pyogenes. It has the advantage over other transport systems of obviating the necessity of transferring the specimen from the transport system to a culture plate.

Product Summary: » Product Summary:

Infection with Lancefield group A streptococci (S. pyogenes) may produce serious sequelae such as rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis. Therefore, early detection and identification are important.

Because of the overgrowth of normal flora present in throat culture specimens inoculated onto routine blood agar plates, selective ingredients have been added to sheep blood agar to enhance the detection of group A streptococci.

Evaluation of various antimicrobial agents in our laboratories resulted in a combination with improved selectivity over other selective media tested. This medium (ssA) allows presumptive identification of group A streptococci, based on bacitracin susceptibility and beta hemolysis, within 24 h after inoculation with the specimen when the medium is incubated in a CO2-enriched atmosphere.1

The JEMBEC™ system offers a convenient CO2 atmosphere for an individual plate. It consists of the selective culture medium (ssA) in a rectangular plate with a special well to hold a CO2-generating tablet. A resealable plastic bag is provided to maintain the CO2-enriched environment during incubation. The system may be inoculated and incubated at the site of specimen collection or used for specimen transport and growth of S. pyogenes. It has the advantage over other transport systems of obviating the necessity of transferring the specimen from the transport system to a culture plate.

User Quality Control: « User Quality Control:

See "Quality Control Procedures."

Quality Control requirements must be performed in accordance with applicable local, state and/or federal regulations or accreditation requirements and your laboratory's standard Quality Control procedures. It is recommended that the user refer to pertinent CLSI (formerly NCCLS) guidance and CLIA regulations for appropriate Quality Control practices.


Reagents: « Reagents:
Group A Selective Strep Agar with 5% Sheep Blood (ssA)
  Approximate Formula* Per Liter Purified Water
  Pancreatic Digest of Casein  14.5   g
  Papaic Digest of Soybean Meal  5.0   g
  Sodium Chloride  5.0   g
  Agar  14.0   g
  Growth Factors  1.5   g
  Selective Agents  40.2   mg
  Sheep Blood, defibrinated  5%  
  *Adjusted and/or supplemented as required to meet performance criteria.

JEMBEC System

In addition to the plated medium, the JEMBEC System consists of resealable polyethylene bags and CO2-generating tablets (sodium bicarbonate and citric acid).


Warnings and Precautions: « Warnings and Precautions:

For in vitro Diagnostic Use.

If excessive moisture is observed, invert the bottom over an off-set lid and allow to air dry in order to prevent formation of a seal between the top and bottom of the plate during incubation.

Pathogenic microorganisms, including hepatitis viruses and Human Immunodeficiency Virus, may be present in clinical specimens. "Standard Precautions"2-5 and institutional guidelines should be followed in handling all items contaminated with blood and other body fluids. After use, prepared plates, specimen containers and other contaminated materials must be sterilized by autoclaving before discarding.



Information shown on this page is a short summary extracted from the QC/PI Manual, available as a PDF under the Related Documents section of this page.