Core tonsillar cultures were obtained from 40 children with recurrent tonsillitis treated with either penicillin or cefdinir. Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci were isolated from 11 penicillin- and 3 cefdinir-treated (P < 0.001) patients. beta-Lactamase producers were recovered from 17 penicillin- and 3 cefdinir-treated (P < 0.01) patients. Inhibiting alpha-hemolytic streptococci were isolate...

A new selective medium (CNA-P) that reduces or eliminates the inhibitory activity of bacteriocin-producing Streptococcus salivarius against beta-hemolytic streptococci has been developed and compared with sheep blood agar (SBA) for the sensitive detection of small numbers of beta-hemolytic streptococci in clinical specimens. CNA-P has as its basis a commercial medium (Difco Columbia CNA agar) s...

There appears to be a resurgence of puerperal sepsis due to a historically important pathogen, group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus.

We compared the sensitivity and specificity of the Strep A Optical ImmunoAssay (OIA) method with our routine trypticase soy agar with 5% sheep blood (TSA) culture technique and with a broth-enhanced culture in the diagnosis of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection. Compared with broth-enhanced culture, the Strep A OIA had a sensitivity and specificity of 94.8% and 98.8%, respectively; ...

A previously healthy 13-month-old boy developed group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus bacteremia coinciding with numerous eruptive subcutaneous lesions primarily on his extremities. Skin biopsy revealed infectious panniculitis; gram-positive cocci were present within both fat lobules and septa. Molecular genetic analysis of an isolate from the patient's blood revealed an emm type 4 organism disp...

Acute pharyngitis is one of the most common illnesses for which children visit primary care physicians. Most cases of acute pharyngitis in children are caused by viruses and are benign and self-limited. Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus is the most important of the bacterial causes of acute pharyngitis. Strategies for diagnosis and treatment of acute pharyngitis are directed at distinguishin...

Cefprozil (BMY-28100) is a semisynthetic cephalosporin with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and prolonged serum elimination half-life allowing for once-a-day oral administration. In vitro, cefprozil demonstrates excellent activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. Cefprozil (500 mg once daily) was compared to cefaclor...

Several presumptive tests were evaluated for their effectiveness in differentiating streptococci. When the tests were combined into a battery and the resulting reactions were interpreted as patterns, the overall presumptive identification rate was at least 97%. We used the hemolytic reaction, susceptibility to bacitracin and sulfamethoxazole plus trimethoprim (1.25 micrograms plus 23.75 microgr...