title: In vivo attachment of beta-haemolytic streptococci to tonsillar epithelial cells in health and disease.
abstract: In vivo attachment of beta-haemolytic streptococci Group A (GABHS) to the epithelial cells of the palatine tonsils was determined in 10 patients with current acute tonsillitis (AT-group) and in 10 healthy carriers of GABHS (C-group) according to a method described. Standard bacterial culture revealed growth of GABHS in both groups. In the AT-group, massive attachment of streptococcal chains to the tonsillar epithelium was noted. These chains proved positive for FITC-labelled antibodies against beta-haemolytic streptococci, and were only occasionally found in the C-group. The overall bacterial attachment was significantly greater in the AT-group than in the C-group (p less than 0.001). Phenoxymethylpenicillin treatment caused a dramatic decrease in the number of the attached GABHS bacteria within 24 h. Two weeks after completion of the penicillin treatment one individual in each group was still culture-positive for GABHS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tromsö, Norway.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Stenfors
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Räisänen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D010404:Penicillin V / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D010404:Penicillin V