Effects of meteorologic factors and schooling on the seasonality of group A streptococcal pharyngitis

The objective of this study was to determine the seasonal pattern of group A streptococcal pharyngitis in children attended at a hospital emergency department in the Mediterranean island of Mallorca (Spain), and its association with meteorologic factors and schooling. We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of children aged 1–15 years with a diagnosis of Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis between January 2006 and December 2011. The number of S. pyogenes pharyngitis was correlated to temperature, humidity, rainfall, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, solar radiation, and schooling, using regression and time series techniques. A total of 906 patients (median, 4 years old) with S. pyogenes pharyngitis, confirmed by throat culture, were attended during the study period. A seasonal pattern was observed with a peak activity in June and a minimum in September. Mean temperature, solar radiation, and school holidays were the best predicting variables (R 2 = 0.68; p < 0.001). S. pyogenes activity increased with the decrease of mean temperature (z = −2.4; p < 0.05), the increase of solar radiation (z = 4.2; p < 0.001), and/or the decrease in school holidays (z = −2.4; p < 0.05). In conclusion, S. pyogenes pharyngitis had a clear seasonality predominating in springtime, and an association with mean temperature, solar radiation, and schooling was observed. The resulting model predicted 68 % of S. pyogenes pharyngitis.