Antistreptolysin O (ASO)
- Also Known As:
- ASLO
- Formal Name:
- Antistreptolysin O Titer

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At a Glance
Why Get Tested?
To help determine whether you have had a recent strep infection with the bacteria group A Streptococcus; to help diagnose complications resulting from a strep infection such as rheumatic fever or glomerulonephritis, a form of kidney disease
When To Get Tested?
When you have symptoms such as fever, chest pain, fatigue and shortness of breath that suggest rheumatic fever or symptoms such as fluid accumulation (edema) and dark urine that are associated with glomerulonephritis, especially when you recently may have had a group A streptococcal (GAS) infection that was not diagnosed and treated appropriately
Sample Required?
A blood sample drawn from a vein
Test Preparation Needed?
You may be instructed not to eat (fast) six hours before the test
You may be able to find your test results on your laboratory’s website or patient portal. However, you are currently at Testing.com. You may have been directed here by your lab’s website in order to provide you with background information about the test(s) you had performed. You will need to return to your lab’s website or portal, or contact your healthcare practitioner in order to obtain your test results.
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The reference ranges for your tests can be found on your laboratory report. They are typically found to the right of your results.
If you do not have your lab report, consult your healthcare provider or the laboratory that performed the test(s) to obtain the reference range.
Laboratory test results are not meaningful by themselves. Their meaning comes from comparison to reference ranges. Reference ranges are the values expected for a healthy person. They are sometimes called “normal” values. By comparing your test results with reference values, you and your healthcare provider can see if any of your test results fall outside the range of expected values. Values that are outside expected ranges can provide clues to help identify possible conditions or diseases.
While accuracy of laboratory testing has significantly evolved over the past few decades, some lab-to-lab variability can occur due to differences in testing equipment, chemical reagents, and techniques. This is a reason why so few reference ranges are provided on this site. It is important to know that you must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are “within normal limits.”
For more information, please read the article Reference Ranges and What They Mean.
What is being tested?
Antistreptolysin O (ASO) is an antibody targeted against streptolysin O, a toxic enzyme produced by group A Streptococcus bacteria. ASO and anti-DNase B are the most common of several antibodies that are produced by the body’s immune system in response to a strep infection with group A Streptococcus. This test measures the amount of ASO in the blood.
Group A Streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) is the bacterium responsible for causing strep throat and a variety of other infections, including skin infections (pyoderma, impetigo, cellulitis). In most cases, strep infections are identified and treated with antibiotics, and the infections resolve.
When a strep infection does not cause identifiable symptoms, goes untreated, or is treated ineffectively, however, complications, namely rheumatic fever and a type of kidney disease (glomerulonephritis), can sometimes develop, especially in young children. These secondary conditions have become much less prevalent in the U.S. because of routine strep testing, but they still do occur. These conditions can cause serious complications such as heart damage, acute kidney dysfunction, tissue swelling (edema), and high blood pressure (hypertension). The ASO test can be used to help determine if these are due to a recent group A strep infection.
Common Questions
Health Professionals – LOINC
LOINC Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC®) is the international standard for identifying health measurements, observations, and documents. It provides a common language to unambiguously identify things you can measure or observe that enables the exchange and aggregation of clinical results for care delivery, outcomes management, and research. Learn More.
Listed in the table below are the LOINC with links to the LOINC detail pages. Please note when you click on the hyperlinked code, you are leaving Testing.com and accessing Loinc.org.
LOINC | LOINC Display Name |
---|---|
30149-9 | Streptolysin O Ab spec 1 Qn (S) |
30150-7 | Streptolysin O Ab spec 2 Qn (S) |
5370-2 | Streptolysin O Ab Qn |
25788-1 | Streptolysin O Ab LA Qn (S) |
45228-4 | Streptolysin O Ab (S) [Mass/Vol] |
9788-1 | Streptolysin O Ab Ql (S) |
22568-0 | Streptolysin O Ab (S) [Titer] |
5371-0 | Streptolysin O Ab LA (S) [Titer] |
View Sources
Sources Used in Current Review
2018 review performed by Kim L. Diehl, MLS(ASCP)CM, Laboratory Director
(January 14, 2018) Vorvick, L.J., MD & Zieve, D., MD. Antistreptolysin O Titer. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Available online at https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003522.htm. Accessed 9/17/18.
(2017) Quest Diagnostics Physician and Hospital Test Menu. Available online at http://www.questdiagnostics.com/testcentr/BUOrderInfo.action?tc=265&labCode=DAL. Accessed 9/17/18.
(2018) Bass, P.F.III, MD, Haldeman-Englert, C., MD. Strep Antistreptolysin O Titer (Blood). University of Rochester Medical Center Health Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&content id=strep_aso_titer_blood. Accessed 9/18/18.
(January 6, 2017) Marcin, J. MD. Burke, D. Antistreptolysin O Titer (ASO) Test. Healthline Newsletter. Available online at https://www.healthline.com/health/antistreptolysin-o-titer. Accessed 9/18/18.
Sources Used in Previous Reviews
Hammad, T. (Updated 2012 June 4). Antistreptolysin O Titer. Medscape Reference [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2113540-overview. Accessed January 2014.
Delgado, J. and Fisher, M. (Updated 2013 September). Streptococcal Disease, Group A – Group A, Strep. ARUP Consult [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.arupconsult.com/Topics/StrepA.html?client_ID=LTD. Accessed January 2014.
Robert J Meador, R. and Russell, I. J. (Updated 2013 December 13). Acute Rheumatic Fever. Medscape Reference [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/333103-overview. Accessed January 2014.
Parmar, M. (Updated 2013 April 3). Acute Glomerulonephritis. Medscape Reference [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/239278-overview. Accessed January 2014.
(© 1995–2014). Antistrep-O Titer, Serum. Mayo Clinic Mayo Medical Laboratories [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Overview/80205. Accessed January 2014.
Vorvick, L. (Updated 2012 May 15). Antistreptolysin O titer. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003522.htm. Accessed January 2014.
Pagana, K. D. & Pagana, T. J. (© 2011). Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 10th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO. Pp 916-918.
Wu, A. (© 2006). Tietz Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests, 4th Edition: Saunders Elsevier, St. Louis, MO. Pg 1528.
Thomas, Clayton L., Editor (1997). Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. F.A. Davis Company, Philadelphia, PA [18th Edition].
Pagana, Kathleen D. & Pagana, Timothy J. (2001). Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 5th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO. Pp 98-99.
Greco, F. (2005 April 29). ASO titer. MedlinePlus Medical Encylopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003522.htm.
(2001 October). Antistreptolysin O (ASO) Reagent Set, A Latex Slide Test. Teco Diagnostics [On-line package insert]. Available online through http://www.tecodiag.com.
(2000 April). Trutest ASO. True-Medix Diagnostics, Inc. [On-line package insert]. Available online through http://www.truemedix.com.
Mylonakis, E. (2005 June 10, Updated). Rheumatic fever. MedlinePlus Medical Encylopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003940.htm.
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Cunningham, M. (2000 July). Pathogenesis of Group A Streptococcal Infections. American Society for Microbiology [On-line journal]. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2000 July; 13(3): 470-511. Available online at http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=10885988.
Vorvick, L. (Updated 2008 August 12). Antistreptolysin O titer. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003522.htm. Accessed January 2010.
Chin, T. and Li, D. (Updated 2009 November 20). Rheumatic Fever. eMedicine [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1007946-overview. Accessed January 2010.
Delgado, J. et. al. (Updated 2009 November). Streptococcal Disease, Group A – Group A, Strep. ARUP Consult [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.arupconsult.com/Topics/StrepA.html#. Accessed January 2010.
Mayo Clinic Staff (2009 January 23). Rheumatic fever. MayoClinic.com [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/rheumatic-fever/DS00250/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print. Accessed January 2010.
Bhimma, R. (Updated 2010 January 7). Acute Poststreptococcal Glomerulonephritis. eMedicine [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/980685-overview. Accessed January 2010.
Nainggolan, L. (2009 March 6). AHA Updates Advice on Strep Throat, Preventing Rheumatic Fever. Medscape Today from Heartwire [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/589223. Accessed January 2010.
Pagana, K. D. & Pagana, T. J. (© 2007). Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 8th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO. Pp 102-103.
Forbes, B. et. al. (© 2007). Bailey & Scott’s Diagnostic Microbiology, 12th Edition: Mosby Elsevier Press, St. Louis, MO. Pp 277.
(April 21, 2008) University of Virginia Health System: Rheumatic fever. Available online at http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/peds_arthritis/rheumat.cf. Accessed February 2010.
(Updated April 13, 2009) Wallace, MR. Rheumatic Fever. Medscape eMedicine. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/236582-overview. Accessed April 2010.
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