PREVALENCE OF STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES THROAT INFECTION AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN

Streptococcus pyogenes is one of the commonest bacterial pathogens that cause pharyngitis among school going children.Aim of our study: To study the prevalence of throat carriage of Group Abetahemolytic streptococci among school children in Hyderabad and to find their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. Methods: 200 children of age 5-15 years, clinically suspected of acute streptococcal pharyngitis and tonsillitis were included in the present study. The study was conducted over a period of one year (October, 2006 to September, 2007). Throat swabs were collected from patients for Gram stain and Culture. Streptococcus pyogenes was identified by beta hemolytic colonies on blood agar and Bacitracin sensitivity and PYR positivity. Results: Among 200 clinically suspected children, in 24 cases Streptococcus pyogenes was isolated (prevalence of 12%). The prevalence was more in the age group 5-10 years and slightly more in females than males. All the isolates were sensitive to Penicillin, Ampicillin and Cephalothin (100%), 95.83% of isolates were sensitive to Erythromycin and 87.5% of isolates were sensitive to Gentamycin. 33.33% of the culture positive cases were also positive for the Antistreptolysin ‘O’. Key words: Streptococcus pyogenes, school going children, Gram stain, Culture, ASO titre,