title: Penicillin tolerance in group A streptococci and treatment failure in streptococcal tonsillitis.
abstract: Penicillin tolerance in Streptococcus pyogenes has been suggested as a possible cause of therapeutic failure in streptococcal phryngitis treated with penicillin. In 144 patients with acute group A streptococcal tonsillitis treated with phenoxymethyl penicillin 12.5 mg per kg body weight b.i.d. for 10 days the same T-type was recovered after treatment in 21%. The recovery rate was higher for non-tolerant strains, 23%, than for tolerant strains, 10% (p greater than 0.05). Of patients with a non-tolerant strain 17% had both clinical and bacterial treatment failure in comparison with 5% infected with a tolerant strain (p greater than 0.05). Reinfection with a new serotype occurred in altogether 3%. The present data did not indicate that penicillin tolerance in group A streptococci is of significance in acute tonsillitis treated with phenoxymethylpenicillin for 10 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stjernquist-Desatnik
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orrling
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schalén
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kamme
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D006801:Humans; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D010404:Penicillin V / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012008:Recurrence; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D010404:Penicillin V