Epidemiology of group A Streptococcal pharyngitis in children: A 12 month study performed at the outpatient clinic of Trousseau Children's Hospital, Paris, France

During a one-year epidemiological study conducted in the emergency room of Trousseau children's hospital in Paris, 186 clinical cases of acute pharyngitis were recorded and 172 had a throat culture performed. The culture was positive for streptococci in 57 cases and group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) were identified in 46 cases. The incidence of pharyngitis peaked twice during the year, in may and in october. During these months the isolation rates of streptococci increased respectively to 56.2% and 77.8% compared to less than 30% for the other months. No clinical criteria was found predictive for GABHS pharyngitis, thus, in the absence of culture or rapid streptococcal detection test, systematic antibiotic treatment of acute pharyngitis is mandatory. Oral treatment with penicillin remains the reference for acute GABHS pharyngitis.